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The incorporation of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) into retinal imaging signifies a notable advancement in ophthalmology, offering improved accuracy in diagnosis and patient outcomes. This review explores the synthesis and unique properties of GNPs, highlighting their adjustable surface plasmon resonance, biocompatibility, and excellent optical absorption and scattering abilities. These features make GNPs advantageous contrast agents, enhancing the precision and quality of various imaging modalities, including photoacoustic imaging, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescence imaging. This paper analyzes the unique properties and corresponding mechanisms based on the morphological features of GNPs, highlighting the potential of GNPs in retinal disease diagnosis and management. Given the limitations currently encountered in clinical applications of GNPs, the approaches and strategies to overcome these limitations are also discussed. These findings suggest that the properties and efficacy of GNPs have innovative applications in retinal disease imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a prevalent rheumatic disorder, and its pathogenesis includes genetic, neuroendocrine, and autonomic abnormalities, which may impact ocular structures. The aim was to conduct a comparative analysis of the ophthalmic vasculature and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness between FMS and control groups using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 43 FMS patients and 40 healthy controls recruited from a tertiary education and research hospital between January 2024 and May 2024. All patients satisfied the 2016 American College of Rheumatology criteria for FMS and consented. OCT and OCTA were used to assess the RNFL thickness and the retinal microvasculature structure. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was performed to evaluate disease severity. Results: The study found significantly higher total retinal parafoveal thickness and foveal density in FMS patients (p = 0.017 and p = 0.044, respectively). Nevertheless, there were no significant differences among the groups concerning total retinal foveal thickness, foveal avascular zone characteristics, superficial and deep capillary plexus densities, choriocapillaris flow area, and outer retinal flow area values (p > 0.05). The RNFL thickness in all quadrants did not reveal significant differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between FIQ scores and OCTA parameters or RNFL thickness values (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed slight differences in retinal parafoveal thickness and foveal density in FMS patients, but no substantial vascular or neurodegenerative alterations were observed compared to healthy controls. These data indicate that FMS may not substantially affect ocular structures, contrary to earlier hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Three-dimensional (3D) analysis of maxillofacial structures in dysmorphic patients offers clinical advantages over 2D analysis due to its high accuracy and precision in measuring many morphological parameters. Currently, no reliable gold standard exists for calculating 3D volumetric measurements of maxillofacial structures when captured by 3D surface imaging techniques. The aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the scientific literature related to 3D surface imaging methods used for volumetric analysis of the dysmorphic maxillofacial structures of patients affected by CL/P or other syndromes and to provide an update on the existing protocols, methods, and, when available, reference data. Methods: A total of 17 papers selected according to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were reviewed for the qualitative analysis out of more than 4500 articles published between 2002 and 2024 that were retrieved from the main electronic scientific databases according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A qualitative synthesis of the protocols used for the selection of the anatomical areas of interest and details on the methods used for the calculation of their volume was completed. Results: The results suggest a great degree of heterogeneity between the reviewed studies in all the aspects analysed (patient population, anatomical structure, area selection, and volume calculation), which prevents any chance of direct comparison between the reported volumetric data. Conclusions: Our qualitative analysis revealed dissimilarities in the procedures specified in the studies, highlighting the need to develop uniform methods and protocols and the need for comparative studies to verify the validity of methods in order to achieve high levels of scientific evidence, homogeneity of volumetric data, and clinical consensus on the methods to use for 3D volumetric surface-based analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-based anticancer therapy that can induce tumor necrosis and/or apoptosis. Two important factors contributing to the efficacy of PDT are the concentration of the photosensitizer in the tumor tissue and its preferential accumulation in the tumor tissue compared to that in normal tissues. In this study, we investigated the use of optical imaging for monitoring whole-body bio-distribution of the fluorescent (660 nm) photosensitizer Bremachlorin in vivo, in a murine pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) model. Moreover, we non-invasively, examined the induction of tumor necrosis after PDT treatment using near-infrared fluorescent imaging of the necrosis avid cyanine dye IRDye®-800CW Carboxylate. Using whole-body fluorescence imaging, we observed that Bremachlorin preferentially accumulated in pancreatic tumors. Furthermore, in a longitudinal study we showed that 3 hours after Bremachlorin administration, the fluorescent tumor signal reached its maximum. In addition, the tumor-to-background ratio at all-time points was approximately 1.4. Ex vivo, at 6 hours after Bremachlorin administration, the tumor-to-muscle or -normal pancreas ratio exhibited a greater difference than it did at 24 hours, suggesting that, in terms of efficacy, 6 hours after Bremachlorin administration was an effective time point for PDT treatment of PDAC. In vivo administration of the near infrared fluorescence agent IRDye®-800CW Carboxylate showed that PDT, 6 hours after administration of Bremachlorin, selectively induced necrosis in the tumor tissues, which was subsequently confirmed histologically. In conclusion, by using in vivo fluorescence imaging, we could non-invasively and longitudinally monitor, the whole-body distribution of Bremachlorin. Furthermore, we successfully used IRDye®-800CW Carboxylate, a near-infrared fluorescent necrosis avid agent, to image PDT-induced necrotic cell death as a measure of therapeutic efficacy. This study showed how fluorescence can be applied for optimizing, and assessing the efficacy of, PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is increasingly used to image prostate cancer in clinical practice. We sought to develop and test a humanised PSMA minibody IAB2M conjugated to the fluorophore IRDye 800CW-NHS ester in men undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) to image prostate cancer cells during surgery. Methods: The minibody was evaluated pre-clinically using PSMA positive/negative xenograft models, following which 23 men undergoing RARP between 2018 and 2020 received between 2.5 mg and 20 mg of IR800-IAB2M intravenously, at intervals between 24 h and 17 days prior to surgery. At every step of the procedure, the prostate, pelvic lymph node chains and extra-prostatic surrounding tissue were imaged with a dual Near-infrared (NIR) and white light optical platform for fluorescence in vivo and ex vivo. Histopathological evaluation of intraoperative and postoperative microscopic fluorescence imaging was undertaken for verification. Results: Twenty-three patients were evaluated to optimise both the dose of the reagent and the interval between injection and surgery and secure the best possible specificity of fluorescence images. Six cases are presented in detail as exemplars. Overall sensitivity and specificity in detecting non-lymph-node extra-prostatic cancer tissue were 100% and 65%, and 64% and 64% respectively for lymph node positivity. There were no side-effects associated with administration of the reagent. Conclusion: Intraoperative imaging of prostate cancer tissue is feasible and safe using IR800-IAB2M. Further evaluation is underway to assess the benefit of using the technique in improving completion of surgical excision during RARP. Registration: ISCRCTN10046036: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10046036. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TFEB and TFE3 belong to the MiT/TFE family of transcription factors that bind identical DNA responsive elements in the regulatory regions of target genes. They are involved in regulating lysosomal biogenesis, function, exocytosis, autophagy, and lipid catabolism. Precise control of TFEB and TFE3 activity is crucial for processes such as senescence, stress response, energy metabolism, and cellular catabolism. Dysregulation of these factors is implicated in various diseases, thus researchers have explored pharmacological approaches to modulate MiT/TFE activity, considering these transcription factors as potential therapeutic targets. However, the physiological complexity of their functions and the lack of suitable in vivo tools have limited the development of selective MiT/TFE modulating agents. Here, we have created a reporter-based biosensor, named CLEARoptimized, facilitating the pharmacological profiling of TFEB- and TFE3-mediated transcription. This innovative tool enables the measurement of TFEB and TFE3 activity in living cells and mice through imaging and biochemical techniques. CLEARoptimized consists of a promoter with six coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation motifs identified through an in-depth bioinformatic analysis of the promoters of 128 TFEB-target genes. The biosensor drives the expression of luciferase and tdTomato reporter genes, allowing the quantification of TFEB and TFE3 activity in cells and in animals through optical imaging and biochemical assays. The biosensor's validity was confirmed by modulating MiT/TFE activity in both cell culture and reporter mice using physiological and pharmacological stimuli. Overall, this study introduces an innovative tool for studying autophagy and lysosomal pathway modulation at various biological levels, from individual cells to the entire organism. Abbreviations: CLEAR: coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation; MAR: matrix attachment regions; MiT: microphthalmia-associated transcription factor; ROI: region of interest; TBS: tris-buffered saline; TF: transcription factor; TFE3: transcription factor binding to IGHM enhancer 3; TFEB: transcription factor EB; TH: tyrosine hydroxylase; TK: thymidine kinase; TSS: transcription start site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface reconstruction determines the fate of catalytic sites on the near-surface during the oxygen evolution reaction. However, deciphering the conversion mechanism of various intermediate-states during surface reconstruction remains a challenge. Herein, we employed an optical imaging technique to draw the landscape of dynamic surface reconstruction on individual Co3O4 nanoparticles. By regulating the surface states of Co3O4 nanoparticles, we explored dynamic growth of the CoOx(OH)y sublayer on single Co3O4 nanoparticles and directly identified the conversion between two dynamics. Rich oxygen vacancies induced more active sites on the surface and prolonged surface reconstruction, which enhanced electrochemical redox and oxygen evolution. These results were further verified by in situ electrochemical extinction spectroscopy of single Co3O4 nanoparticles. We elucidate the heterogeneous evolution of surface reconstruction on individual Co3O4 nanoparticles and present a unique perspective to understand the fate of catalytic species on the nanosurface, which is of enduring significance for investigating the heterogeneity of multielectron-transfer events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions To systematically assess the current available literature concerning advanced optical imaging methods for the detection and diagnosis of bladder cancer (BCa), focusing particularly on the sensitivity and specificity of these techniques.First a scoping search was performed to identify all available optical techniques for BCa detection and diagnosis. The optical imaging techniques used for detecting BCa are: the Storz professional image enhancement system (IMAGE1 S), narrow‐band imaging (NBI), photoacoustic imaging (PAI), autofluorescence imaging (AFI), photodynamic diagnosis (PDD), and scanning fibre endoscopy (SFE). The staging and grading techniques for BCa are: optical coherence tomography (OCT), confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE), Raman spectroscopy, endocytoscopy, and non‐linear optical microscopy (NLO). Then a systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science from inception to 21 November 2023. Articles were screened and selected by two independent reviewers. Inclusion criteria were: reporting on both the sensitivity and specificity of a particular technique and comparison to histopathology, and in the case of a detection technique comparison to white light cystoscopy (WLC).Out of 6707 articles, 189 underwent full‐text review, resulting in 52 inclusions. No articles met criteria for IMAGE1 S, PAI, SFE, Raman spectroscopy, and endocytoscopy. All detection techniques showed higher sensitivity than WLC, with NBI leading (87.8–100%). Overall, detection technique specificity was comparable to WLC, with PDD being most specific (23.3–100%). CLE and OCT varied in sensitivity and specificity, with OCT showing higher specificity for BCa diagnosis, notably for carcinoma in situ (97–99%) compared to CLE (62.5–81.3%). NLO demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity (90–97% and 77–100%, respectively) based on limited data from two small ex vivo studies.Optical techniques with the most potential are PDD for detecting and OCT for staging and grading BCa. Further research is crucial to validate their integration into routine practice and explore the value of other imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tooth segmentation on intraoral scanned (IOS) data is a prerequisite for clinical applications in digital workflows. Current state-of-the-art methods lack the robustness to handle variability in dental conditions. This study aims to propose and evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for automatic tooth segmentation on IOS images. Methods: A dataset of 761 IOS images (380 upper jaws, 381 lower jaws) was acquired using an intraoral scanner. The inclusion criteria included a full set of permanent teeth, teeth with orthodontic brackets, and partially edentulous dentition. A multi-step 3D U-Net pipeline was designed for automated tooth segmentation on IOS images. The model's performance was assessed in terms of time and accuracy. Additionally, the model was deployed on an online cloud-based platform, where a separate subsample of 18 IOS images was used to test the clinical applicability of the model by comparing three modes of segmentation: automated artificial intelligence-driven (A-AI), refined (R-AI), and semi-automatic (SA) segmentation. Results: The average time for automated segmentation was 31.7 ± 8.1 s per jaw. The CNN model achieved an Intersection over Union (IoU) score of 91%, with the full set of teeth achieving the highest performance and the partially edentulous group scoring the lowest. In terms of clinical applicability, SA took an average of 860.4 s per case, whereas R-AI showed a 2.6-fold decrease in time (328.5 s). Furthermore, R-AI offered higher performance and reliability compared to SA, regardless of the dentition group. Conclusions: The 3D U-Net pipeline was accurate, efficient, and consistent for automatic tooth segmentation on IOS images. The online cloud-based platform could serve as a viable alternative for IOS segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integral imaging (InIm) 3D displays provide realistic 3D images with comfortable viewing experiences. However, existing approaches struggle to achieve high spatial resolution reproduction without relying on temporal or spatial multiplexing methods, which increases system complexity. Although precise control approaches for voxel formation have been explored to address this challenge, the existing methods lack systematic analysis theories for identifying the key factors affecting spatial resolution. In this study, a novel analysis framework is proposed that uses a point spread function (PSF) to characterize voxel formation. An analytical model based on the obtained PSF is established to achieve an aliasing‐free display. This framework identifies optimization directions for improving the spatial resolution, specifically by reducing the Gaussian blur caused by wavefront aberration in the lens unit. A targeted optimization of a compound lens array is conducted to achieve precise control of voxel formation. In these experiments, an InIm 3D display system prototype that substantially outperforms conventional InIm 3D displays is developed. The prototype achieves a 74.6% reduction in the system PSF and a 29.85% reduction in voxel size, enabling aliasing‐free voxels and a 2.82 times higher resolution in the InIm 3D display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin diseases are a thorny and worrying matter, due to the special nature of the diseases and their similarity in the distinctive features of each disease. This makes doctors face difficulty in arriving at the correct diagnosis. There are two ways to determine the type of skin disease: the surgical method, which is a painful and expensive method and requires special preparations, and the second method is a non-invasive imaging the lesion at an acceptable magnification rate that preserves the important features of the disease and applies one of the diagnostic rules. The non-invasive skin scanning method, which makes it possible to detect microscopically small features that are invisible to the unaided eyes is optical imaging of skin disorders. For efficiently recognizing physical structure and Stages of development of skin disease and its response to therapy, non-invasive, and less painful scanning methods, such as confocal laser microscopy (CLM), multi-photon microscopy (MP), Raman microscopy (RM), photo-acoustic microscopy (PAM), optical coherence microscopy (OCT), and dermatoscopy (DMY), have been enhanced and implemented for skin scanning. Optical imaging is a type of skin surface imaging that offers precise visualization of skin features. The DMY is a non-intrusive human body tool for evaluating skin disorders. The device is portable and auto-illumination, which imaging skin structure that is often invisible to the naked eye. DMY produces digital images and records for re-examination for later use. There are 3-types of DMYs, traditional non-polarized light contact DMY (TNPC), polarized light contact DMY (PC), and polarized light contactless DMY (PCS). TNPC-DMY needs to touch the covered skin with an interfacing liquid. PC provides better penetration than TNPC and interfacing liquid is not required. OCT is a light-reflecting imaging system. It produces direct scanning with a resolution of around 10 µm plus a depth into the skin of up to 2*10−3 m, without needing to print or store. It has been utilized frequently in numerous disorders as well as skin scanning. The technology produces efficient visualization of changes in normal skin tissue. OCT results and histological structure show significant agreement in studies of skin tumors, and inflammatory disorders. OCT is available in a variety of designs, including time-variants (TV-OCT), Fourier-domain (FD-OCT), line field confocal (LC-OCT), spectral domain (SD-OCT), and high-resolution (HR-OCT). Therefore, this study, presents an overview of fundamental concept, design, for many various types of each technique, evaluation, and weaknesses according to practical tests and searches. This is very useful for researchers in the field of skin diseases detection, particularly in the field of automated diagnosis by artificial intelligence where the researcher is intimately familiar with the stages of development of diagnostic mechanisms and how traditional methods have contributed development in computer aided diagnosis. The two majors widely used optical imaging methods for skin are dermatoscopy and OCT, which are improving dermatoscopy diagnostic efficacy by five to thirty percent. The outcomes of this research are summarized in the next points, mentioned techniques rely on the kind of lesion being examined and the dermatologist's skill. Low resolution and a lack of optical sectioning capabilities are two drawbacks of optical imaging techniques, which lead to a restricted degree of diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The numerical calculation of partially coherent imaging involves a fourfold integral, which is numerically complex and impracticable to be calculated directly. The use of coherent-mode decomposition (CMD) can make this problem more manageable but finding the coherent-modes for complicated partial coherent fields (without already-known coherent-mode expansion) are rather computationally intensive. In this letter, a modified modal expansion method is proposed, which significantly reduces the requirement of computational resources. The propagation of partial coherence in imaging systems with extremely large sampling number could be handled by an ordinary computer. A comparison between the new method and the traditional method in terms of memory resource requirements and computational time consumption is also detailed in this article. We will also show that this method could deal with the anisoplanatic imaging cases while maintaining the same computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope (VELscope®) is a handheld medical device that can be used to clinically visualise and diagnose oral mucosal lesions. It works by the application of direct fluorescence and the loss of fluorescence in visible and non visible high-risk oral lesions. Numerous publications have offered insights on the possible use of VELscope® for identifying oral mucosal lesions. By analysing patterns in publication outputs, citation metrics and collaborative networks, researchers can gain insights into the development, influence and key contributors in the field of VELscope®, guiding future research directions and policy decisions. Aim: To track down and analyse all studies published on the application of VELscope® in the diagnosis of oral mucosal lesions and to assist future researchers by highlighting the most cited earlier publications. Materials and Methods: This bibliometric analysis was conducted using articles published on the applications of VELscope® in detecting oral mucosal lesions between 2006 and 2022. In December 2023, a comprehensive search was performed on PubMed and Scopus databases using medical subject heading terms like “VELscope®,” “Autofluorescence imaging system,” and “Oral” in several combinations. Bibliographic data regarding the top 100 most cited articles were extracted and collated. Results: The analysis showed that the most contributions came from the journals “Oral Oncology,” “Oral Diseases,” and “Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy,” with significant contributions from researchers in the USA and India. The highest number of publications occurred in 2015, with a notable peak in the decade 2011-2020. The articles were cumulatively cited 4,559 times. Conclusion: The current bibliographic analysis provided valuable insights into the development and impact of research on the applications of VELscope® in dentistry by highlighting publication trends, influential works, leading authors and collaborative networks. These insights can guide future research directions, inform policy decisions and enhance understanding of the evolution and scholarly influence.

Abstract Background Tooth segmentation on intraoral scanned (IOS) data is a prerequisite for clinical applications in digital workflows. Current state-of-the-art methods lack the robustness to handle variability in dental conditions. This study aims to propose and evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for automatic tooth segmentation on IOS images. Methods A dataset of 761 IOS images (380 upper jaws, 381 lower jaws) was acquired using an intraoral scanner. The inclusion criteria included a full set of permanent teeth, teeth with orthodontic brackets, and partially edentulous dentition. A multi-step 3D U-Net pipeline was designed for automated tooth segmentation on IOS images. The model’s performance was assessed in terms of time and accuracy. Additionally, the model was deployed on an online cloud-based platform, where a separate subsample of 18 IOS images was used to test the clinical applicability of the model by comparing three modes of segmentation: automated artificial intelligence-driven (A-AI), refined (R-AI), and semi-automatic (SA) segmentation. Results The average time for automated segmentation was 31.7 ± 8.1 s per jaw. The CNN model achieved an Intersection over Union (IoU) score of 91%, with the full set of teeth achieving the highest performance and the partially edentulous group scoring the lowest. In terms of clinical applicability, SA took an average of 860.4 s per case, whereas R-AI showed a 2.6-fold decrease in time (328.5 s). Furthermore, R-AI offered higher performance and reliability compared to SA, regardless of the dentition group. Conclusions The 3D U-Net pipeline was accurate, efficient, and consistent for automatic tooth segmentation on IOS images. The online cloud-based platform could serve as a viable alternative for IOS segmentation.

BACKGROUND: Existing neuroimaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and high-resolution ultrasound, lack the capability to provide real-time intraoperative positioning images to surgeons. However, the clinical implementation of near-infrared fluorescence imaging technology has made it possible to directly visualize surgical target areas, offering a novel solution for real-time nerve identification during surgery. OBJECTIVE: To provide a summary and overview of the research progress in near-infrared fluorescence imaging technology for intraoperative neuroimaging. METHODS: The first author used the computer to search for the documents published from January 2010 to July 2023 in WanFang, CNKI, and PubMed with the key words of “near-infrared fluorescence imaging, optical imaging, nerve imaging” in Chinese and English. A few classic old documents were also included. Initial screening was performed by reading the titles and abstracts; duplicate, low-quality, and irrelevant content documents were excluded. A total of 69 articles were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Near-infrared fluorescence imaging guided by indocyanine green has been clinically used to identify and locate tubular organs such as blood vessels, ureters, and bile ducts, as well as various tumors during surgery. This technique is currently considered a well-established imaging method in precision surgery. In the field of intraoperative neurofluorescence imaging, indocyanine green is currently the only near-infrared fluorescent dye used in clinical research. The ideal neuroimaging agent should possess certain characteristics, including easy administration in the perioperative period, logD between 0.5 and 3 at pH=7.4, molecular mass below 500 Da, excitation and emission wavelengths within the near-infrared window, long-term retention in nerve tissue, high signal-to-background ratio, and high safety. In the future, the development of near-infrared neurofluorescence imaging agents should focus on synthesizing complexes of indocyanine green and neural-specific targets. This technology not only enables intraoperative neurofluorescence imaging, but also holds promising prospects for in-situ monitoring of nerve regeneration and diagnosis of neurological diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visualization of drugs in living systems has become key techniques in modern therapeutics. Recent advancements in optical imaging technologies and molecular design strategies have revolutionized drug visualization. At the subcellular level, super-resolution microscopy has allowed exploration of the molecular landscape within individual cells and the cellular response to drugs. Moving beyond subcellular imaging, researchers have integrated multiple modes, like optical near-infrared II imaging, to study the complex spatiotemporal interactions between drugs and their surroundings. By combining these visualization approaches, researchers gain supplementary information on physiological parameters, metabolic activity, and tissue composition, leading to a comprehensive understanding of drug behavior. This review focuses on cutting-edge technologies in drug visualization, particularly fluorescence imaging, and the main types of fluorescent molecules used. Additionally, we discuss current challenges and prospects in targeted drug research, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation in advancing drug visualization. With the integration of advanced imaging technology and molecular design, drug visualization has the potential to redefine our understanding of pharmacology, enabling the analysis of drug micro-dynamics in subcellular environments from new perspectives and deepening pharmacological research to the levels of the cell and organelles.

Optical imaging is crucial for cell examination, but its instruments' bulky optics limit their flexibility, and a single wavelength provides limited sample information. This paper presents a fibre cantilever-based endoscopic scanner for multiwavelength reflectance confocal microscopy. The scanner utilises the dual-core fibre cantilever to produce Lissajous scans while accommodating two distinct wavelengths. Coloured surfaces were imaged at wavelengths of 520 nm, 635 nm and 850 nm, and verified with a colour chart and reflectance spectroscopy. Blue ink-stained plant stem cross-section samples were also imaged and compared. Furthermore, the scanner performed structure morphology imaging on cellular samples. The 520 nm and 635 nm wavelengths create low- and high-contrast images respectively, while the 850 nm wavelength delivers a sharper image while also capturing the surface profile of the target sample. The findings demonstrated the endoscopic scanner’s capability to extract information based on different wavelengths, providing a more diverse view of the sample and enhancing the surface profile. Using 635 nm and 850 nm, the reconstructed images have a contrast enhancement of 67.9% and 90.8% respectively from 520 nm. The smallest feature size measured on the cellular sample is 5 µm. The endoscopic scanner has the potential to study microfluidic and cell morphology.

Abstract This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) technology for detecting the presence and severity of microleakage of pit and fissure sealants. The areas of interest (AOIs) were 160 pits and fissures of 40 extracted permanent teeth. Fluorescent images were acquired using a QLF device, and the maximum fluorescence loss ΔFmax of each AOI was analyzed. After staining and cross-sectioning of the teeth, histological dye penetration was scored on a scale of 0 to 3. The relationship between ΔFmax and microleakage depth was analyzed, and the areas under the curve (AUCs) were calculated. The │ΔFmax│ increased as microleakage depth increased. The ΔFmax values of microleakage areas showed a strong significant correlation with the histological scores of dye penetration (r = − 0.72, P = 0.001). AUC analysis showed a high diagnostic accuracy for microleakage depth (AUC = 0.83–0.91). The highest AUC of 0.91 was found when differentiating the outer half microleakage of the sealant (histological score 0 vs. 1–3). QLF technology is effective in assessing the presence and severity of microleakage, suggesting its potential for noninvasive detection and monitoring of sealant microleakage in clinical settings.

CO2 and SO2 gases are utilized in various industrial applications and are subjects of environmental research. However, these gases are considered toxic and pose dangers at certain concentrations. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor and control the exposure to these gases in the environment to prevent reaching hazardous levels that could endanger both humans and the environment. A non-contact detection and monitoring system is essential to minimize the adverse effects of direct gas exposure. In this research, a non-contact detection system for CO2, SO2, and mixed gases was developed using optical imaging analysis generated by infrared cameras. The images were captured using the FLIR Vue Pro-R infrared camera, with infrared absorbing gas sourced from a 50-watt tungsten lamp. Visual identification of these gases through optical imaging is challenging; however, this study successfully identified these gases using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The CNN architecture used in this study is DenseNet (Densely Connected Convolutional Networks), comprising 169 convolution layers. The CNN model was trained and tested on experimental optical imaging data, categorized into three classes: CO2, SO2, and a mixture of gases. A total of 1030 optical imaging data points were utilized for training. Training was conducted using the AdamW optimization function over 28 epochs. The evaluation of results yielded accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score metrics. The novelty of this study lies in the successful identification of CO2, SO2, and their mixture by the CNN model with an accuracy of 85%. Precision, recall, and F1-score values are all 0.85. These results indicate that the CNN model effectively distinguishes optical imaging of each gas (CO2, SO2, and their mixture) consistently and accurately. Consequently, it can be concluded that the CNN model performs well in distinguishing between these gases in optical imaging analysis.

Optical imaging is crucial for cell examination, but its instruments' bulky optics limit their flexibility, and a single wavelength provides limited sample information. This paper presents a fibre cantilever-based endoscopic scanner for multiwavelength reflectance confocal microscopy. The scanner utilises the dual-core fibre cantilever to produce Lissajous scans while accommodating two distinct wavelengths. Coloured surfaces were imaged at wavelengths of 520 nm, 635 nm and 850 nm, and verified with a colour chart and reflectance spectroscopy. Blue ink-stained plant stem cross-section samples were also imaged and compared. Furthermore, the scanner performed structure morphology imaging on cellular samples. The 520 nm and 635 nm wavelengths create low- and high-contrast images respectively, while the 850 nm wavelength delivers a sharper image while also capturing the surface profile of the target sample. The findings demonstrated the endoscopic scanner's capability to extract information based on different wavelengths, providing a more diverse view of the sample and enhancing the surface profile. Using 635 nm and 850 nm, the reconstructed images have a contrast enhancement of 67.9% and 90.8% respectively from 520 nm. The smallest feature size measured on the cellular sample is 5 µm. The endoscopic scanner has the potential to study microfluidic and cell morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is common in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and its prevalence increases with progressive loss of kidney function. MCI is characterized by a decline in cognitive performance greater than expected for an individual age and education level but with minimal impairment of instrumental activities of daily living. Deterioration can affect one or several cognitive domains (attention, memory, executive functions, language, and perceptual motor or social cognition). Given the increasing prevalence of kidney disease, more and more people with CKD will also develop MCI causing an enormous disease burden for these individuals, their relatives, and society. However, the underlying pathomechanisms are poorly understood, and current therapies mostly aim at supporting patients in their daily lives. This illustrates the urgent need to elucidate the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets and test novel therapies in appropriate preclinical models. Here, we will outline the necessary criteria for experimental modeling of cognitive disorders in CKD. We discuss the use of mice, rats, and zebrafish as model systems and present valuable techniques through which kidney function and cognitive impairment can be assessed in this setting. Our objective is to enable researchers to overcome hurdles and accelerate preclinical research aimed at improving the therapy of people with CKD and MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe rise of infectious diseases as a public health concern has necessitated the development of rapid and precise diagnostic methods. Imaging techniques like nuclear and optical imaging provide the ability to diagnose infectious diseases within the body, eliminating delays caused by sampling and pre-enrichments of clinical samples and offering spatial information that can aid in a more informed diagnosis. Traditional molecular probes are typically created to image infected tissue without accurately identifying the pathogen. In contrast, oligonucleotides can be tailored to target specific RNA sequences, allowing for the identification of pathogens, and even generating antibiotic susceptibility profiles by focusing on drug resistance genes. Despite the benefits that nucleic acid mimics (NAMs) have provided in terms of stabilizing oligonucleotides, the inadequate delivery of these relatively large molecules into the cytoplasm of bacteria remains a challenge for widespread use of this technology. This review summarizes the key advancements in the field of oligonucleotide probes for in vivo imaging, highlighting the most promising delivery systems described in the literature for developing optical imaging through in vivo hybridization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visualization of drugs in living systems has become key techniques in modern therapeutics. Recent advancements in optical imaging technologies and molecular design strategies have revolutionized drug visualization. At the subcellular level, super-resolution microscopy has allowed exploration of the molecular landscape within individual cells and the cellular response to drugs. Moving beyond subcellular imaging, researchers have integrated multiple modes, like optical near-infrared II imaging, to study the complex spatiotemporal interactions between drugs and their surroundings. By combining these visualization approaches, researchers gain supplementary information on physiological parameters, metabolic activity, and tissue composition, leading to a comprehensive understanding of drug behavior. This review focuses on cutting-edge technologies in drug visualization, particularly fluorescence imaging, and the main types of fluorescent molecules used. Additionally, we discuss current challenges and prospects in targeted drug research, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation in advancing drug visualization. With the integration of advanced imaging technology and molecular design, drug visualization has the potential to redefine our understanding of pharmacology, enabling the analysis of drug micro-dynamics in subcellular environments from new perspectives and deepening pharmacological research to the levels of the cell and organelles. This review provides a current overview of the cutting-edge techniques and approaches that enable the tracking of drugs within living systems, highlighting their application in drug visualization analysis and therapeutics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Delirium is associated with mortality and new onset dementia, yet the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Development of imaging biomarkers has been difficult given the challenging nature of imaging delirious patients. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) offers a promising approach for investigating delirium given its portability and three‐dimensional capabilities. METHODS: Twenty‐five delirious and matched non‐delirious patients (n = 50) were examined using DOT, comparing cerebral oxygenation and functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex during and after an episode of delirium. RESULTS: Total hemoglobin values were significantly decreased in the delirium group, even after delirium resolution. Functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was strengthened post‐resolution compared to during an episode; however, this relationship was still significantly weaker compared to controls. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight DOT's potential as an imaging biomarker to measure impaired cerebral oxygenation and functional dysconnectivity during and after delirium. Future studies should focus on the role of cerebral oxygenation in delirium pathogenesis and exploring the etiological link between delirium and dementias. Highlights: We developed a portable diffuse optical tomography (DOT) system for bedside three‐dimensional functional neuroimaging to study delirium in the hospital.We implemented a novel DOT task‐focused seed‐based correlation analysis.DOT revealed decreased cerebral oxygenation and functional connectivity strength in the delirium group, even after resolution of delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3D imaging-based model reconstruction technology is being applied in various aspects of fruit planting management, picking, transportation, and promoting fruit industry automation development. The fruit model based on 3D imaging technology is closer to the external characteristics of the fruit itself. More accurate data is obtained when the model is imported into a computer for simulation and analysis for growth prediction, quality grading, and mechanical damage. The reconstructed fruit models can also be used to calibrate the parameters of the robot's vision system, optimize the grasping strategy of the picking machinery, and improve the identification sorting and picking accuracy. Some articles have been published on the principles of 3D imaging technology, and there are also numerous studies on the practical application of fruit models. However, no review article exists on applying 3D reconstruction and modeling of fruits using 3D imaging techniques. This paper will focus on the acquiring and processing of 3D data and analyzing the application of imaging principles and technologies such as triangulation, time-of-flight(TOF), interferometry, electromagnetic radiation(EMR), and ultrasound imaging(US). Also, this paper summarizes the application of fruit models for quality assessment, mechanical property study, and picking machinery. Finally, the latest progress in the application of fruit models is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) are ideal optical imaging contrast reagents characterized by autofluorescence-free optical imaging for their frontier applications in long-term bioimaging. Preparation of uniform small-sized PLNPs with excellent luminescence performance is crucial for biomedical applications, but challenging. Here, we report a facile magnesium doping strategy to achieve size-independent boost of NIR persistent luminescence in typical and most concerned ZnGa 2 O 4 :Cr3+ PLNPs. This strategy relies on the doping of Mg2+ ions that with similar size of Zn2+ ions in the host lattice matrix, and concomitant to the electron traps tailoring tuned by varying the feed ratio of Mg2+. The optimum Mg2+-doped PLNPs give a long afterglow time (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) = 31.6 at 30 d) without changing the desirable uniform sub-10 nm size of the original nanocrystals. The appropriate increase of the depth and concentration of electron trap contribute jointly to the enhancement of lifetime (488 % longer, 20.57 s) and afterglow time for 700 nm persistent luminescence. Meanwhile, these PLNPs keep the original excellent rechargeability and promote over 60 times increase of SNR in renewable in vivo imaging. This simple strategy provides a basis for new opportunities to address the critical challenge of effective optical performance boost in small-sized PLNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two auditory neurons, TN-1 and ON-1, in the bush-cricket, Mecopoda elongata, have large dendritic arborisations which receive excitatory synaptic inputs from tonotopically organised axonal terminals of auditory afferents in the prothoracic ganglion. By combining intracellular microelectrode recording with calcium imaging we demonstrate that the dendrites of both neurons show a clear Ca2+ signal in response to broad-frequency species-specific chirps. Due to the organisation of the afferents frequency specific auditory activation should lead to local Ca2+ increases in their dendrites. In response to 20 ms sound pulses the dendrites of both neurons showed tonotopically organised Ca2+ increases. In ON-1 we found no evidence for a tonotopic organisation of the Ca2+ signal related to axonal spike activity or for a Ca2+ response related to contralateral inhibition. The tonotopic organisation of the afferents may facilitate frequency-specific adaptation in these auditory neurons through localised Ca2+ increases in their dendrites. By combining 10 and 40 kHz test pulses and adaptation series, we provide evidence for frequency-specific adaptation in TN-1 and ON-1. By reversible deactivating of the auditory afferents and removing contralateral inhibition, we show that in ON-1 spike activity and Ca2+ responses increased but frequency-specific adaptation was not evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of optical beam arrays with prospective uses within the realms of microscopy, photonics, non-linear optics, and material processing often requires Dammann gratings. Here, we report the direct fabrication of one- and two-dimensional Dammann grating-like structures on soda lime glass using a nanosecond pulsed laser beam with a 1064 nm wavelength. Using the fabricated grating, an axicon lens, and an optical magnification system, we propose a scheme of generation of a diverging array of zero-order Bessel beams with a sub-micron-size central core, extending longitudinally over several hundred microns. Two different grating fabrication strategies are also proposed to control the number of Bessel beams in an array. It was demonstrated that Bessel beams of 12 degrees conical half-angle in an array of up to [5 × 5] dimensions can be generated using a suitable combination of Dammann grating, axicon lens and focusing optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate an automated two‐step tumor segmentation method leveraging color information from brightfield images of fresh core needle biopsies of breast tissue. Three different color spaces (HSV, CIELAB, YCbCr) were explored for the segmentation task. By leveraging white‐light and green‐light images, we identified two different types of color transformations that could separate adipose from benign and tumor or cancerous tissue. We leveraged these two distinct color transformation methods in a two‐step process where adipose tissue segmentation was followed by benign tissue segmentation thereby isolating the malignant region of the biopsy. Our tumor segmentation algorithm and imaging probe could highlight suspicious regions on unprocessed biopsy tissue to guide selection of areas most similar to malignant tissues for tissue pathology whether it be formalin fixed or frozen sections, expedite tissue selection for molecular testing, detect positive tumor margins, or serve an alternative to tissue pathology, in countries where these services are lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The retina is a protrusion of the brain, so researchers have recently proposed retinal changes as a new marker for studying central nervous system diseases. To investigate optic nerve head neurovascular structure assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. Methods: The study was conducted from 2019 to 2021 at the Ibn Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. We enrolled 22 hospitalized known cases of schizophrenia, treated with risperidone as an antipsychotic drug, and 22 healthy subjects. The two groups were matched in age and gender. In the schizophrenic group, the positive and negative syndrome scale test was used to assess the illness severity. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic evaluations and OCTA imaging. Results: We found that the cup/disc area ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio, and horizontal cup/disc ratio are significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy subjects (with p‐values of 0.019, 0.015, and 0.022, respectively). No statistically significant difference in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and vascular parameters of the optic nerve head was observed between schizophrenia and healthy groups. Conclusion: We found evidence regarding the difference in the optic nerve head tomographic properties in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. However, ONH vascular parameters showed no significant difference. More studies are needed for a definite conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we proposed a synthesis strategy for a novel drug delivery system (DDS) composed of rod-shaped hollow mesoporous silica core and luminescent Gd2O3:Eu shell. This interesting nanostructure combines the luminescence of Eu3+ with the excellent drug carrying capacity of rod-shaped hollow mesoporous silica. The structure and morphology of the DDS were characterized by X-ray difraction, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and Transmission electron microscopy. The prepared DDS possessess rod-shaped core shell structure, in which length of the hollow mesoporous silica nanorods as approximately 400 nm and a width of approximately 150 nm and the Gd2O3:Eu shell was approximately 30 nm thick. The as-prepared DDS emitted bright red light, and the in vitro assays with NCI-H460 lung cancer cells domenstrated that the as-obtained DDS could rapidly and massively enter the cell. In addition, the prepared DDS showed a high loading capacity of IBU (19.4%). As the amount of ibuprofen released increases, the photoluminescence intensity of the DDS increases. Thus, it is possible to monitor and track the release process through changes in luminous intensity. In summary, it is expected that the prepared DDS may be applied in drug carrying, luminescent tracking and monitoring, and optical imaging. Furthermore, this work provides a reliable approach for the design and preparation of the functionalized rod-shaped mesoporous silica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Optical imaging is a non-invasive imaging technology that utilizes near-infrared light, allows for the image reconstruction of optical properties like diffuse and absorption coefficients within the tissue. A recent trend is to use signal processing techniques or new light sources and expanding its application. Aim: We aim to develop the reflective optical imaging using the chaotic correlation technology with chaotic laser and optimize the quality and spatial resolution of reflective optical imaging. Approach: Scattering medium was measured using reflective configuration in different inhomogeneous regions to evaluate the performance of the imaging system. The accuracy of the recovered optical properties was investigated. The reconstruction errors of absorption coefficients and geometric centers were analyzed, and the feature metrics of the reconstructed images were evaluated. Results: We showed how chaotic correlation technology can be utilized for information extraction and image reconstruction. This means that a higher signal-tonoise ratio and image reconstruction of inhomogeneous phantoms under different scenarios successfully were achieved. Conclusions: This work highlights that the peak values of correlation of chaotic exhibit smaller reconstruction error and better reconstruction performance in optical imaging compared with reflective optical imaging with the continuous wave laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐invasive diagnostics like line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) are being implemented in dermato‐oncology. However, unification of terminology in LC‐OCT is lacking. By reviewing the LC‐OCT literature in the field of dermato‐oncology, this study aimed to develop a unified terminological glossary integrated with traditional histopathology. A PRISMA‐guided literature‐search was conducted for English‐language publications on LC‐OCT of actinic keratosis (AK), keratinocyte carcinoma (KC), and malignant melanoma (MM). Study characteristics and terminology were compiled. To harmonize LC‐OCT terminology and integrate with histopathology, synonymous terms for image features of AK, KC, and MM were merged by two authors, organized by skin layer and lesion‐type. A subset of key LC‐OCT image‐markers with histopathological correlates that in combination were typical of AK, squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCis), invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and MM in traditional histopathology, were selected from the glossary by an experienced dermatopathologist. Seventeen observational studies of AK (7 studies), KC (13 studies), MM (7 studies) utilizing LC‐OCT were included, with 117 terms describing either AK, KC, or MM. These were merged to produce 45 merged‐terms (61.5% reduction); 5 assigned to the stratum corneum (SC), 23 to the viable epidermis, 2 to dermo‐epidermal junction (DEJ) and 15 to the dermis. For each lesion, mandatory key image‐markers were a well‐defined DEJ and presence of mild/moderate but not severe epidermal dysplasia for AK, severe epidermal dysplasia and well‐defined DEJ for SCCis, interrupted DEJ and/or dermal broad infiltrative strands for invasive SCC, dermal lobules connected and/or unconnected to the epidermis for BCC, as well as single atypical melanocytes and/or nest of atypical melanocytes in the epidermis or dermis for MM. This review compiles evidence on LC‐OCT in dermato‐oncology, providing a harmonized histopathology‐integrated terminology and key image‐markers for each lesion. Further evaluation is required to determine the clinical value of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonmelanoma skin cancers remain the most widely diagnosed types of cancers globally. Thus, for optimal patient management, it has become imperative that we focus our efforts on the detection and monitoring of cutaneous field carcinogenesis. The concept of field cancerization (or field carcinogenesis), introduced by Slaughter in 1953 in the context of oral cancer, suggests that invasive cancer may emerge from a molecularly and genetically altered field affecting a substantial area of underlying tissue including the skin. A carcinogenic field alteration, present in precancerous tissue over a relatively large area, is not easily detected by routine visualization. Conventional dermoscopy and microscopy imaging are often limited in assessing the entire carcinogenic landscape. Recent efforts have suggested the use of noninvasive mesoscopic (between microscopic and macroscopic) optical imaging methods that can detect chronic inflammatory features to identify pre‐cancerous and cancerous angiogenic changes in tissue microenvironments. This concise review covers major types of mesoscopic optical imaging modalities capable of assessing pro‐inflammatory cues by quantifying blood haemoglobin parameters and hemodynamics. Importantly, these imaging modalities demonstrate the ability to detect angiogenesis and inflammation associated with actinically damaged skin. Representative experimental preclinical and human clinical studies using these imaging methods provide biological and clinical relevance to cutaneous field carcinogenesis in altered tissue microenvironments in the apparently normal epidermis and dermis. Overall, mesoscopic optical imaging modalities assessing chronic inflammatory hyperemia can enhance the understanding of cutaneous field carcinogenesis, offer a window of intervention and monitoring for actinic keratoses and nonmelanoma skin cancers and maximise currently available treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, research focusing on robotics, autonomous vehicles, and scene analysis shows a clear need for the ability to accurately reconstruct three-dimensional environments. One of the methods allowing to conduct such a reconstruction is to use a set of cameras and image processing techniques. This is a passive method. Despite being, in general, less accurate than its active counterparts, it offers significant advantages in numerous applications in which active systems cannot be deployed due to limited performance. This paper provides a theoretical analysis of the accuracy of estimating 3D positions of objects present at a given scene, based on images from a set of cameras. The analysis assumes a known geometrical configuration of the camera system. The important limiting factor in the considered scenario is the physical resolution of sensors-especially in the case of systems that are supposed to work in real time, with a high FPS rate, as the use of high-resolution cameras is difficult in such circumstances. In the paper, the influence of the geometric arrangement of the cameras is studied and important conclusions about the potential of three-camera configurations are drawn. The analysis performed and the formulas derived help predict the boundary accuracy values of any system using a digital camera. The results of an experiment that confirm the theoretical conclusions are presented as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach for image formation in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and microscopy is presented. The depth resolution of OCT, including recently developed nanosensitive OCT (nsOCT), is limited by the spectral bandwidth of the light source used for illumination. The proposed approach, synthetic OCT (synOCT), permits label‐free, depth‐resolved quantitative visualization of the subwavelength‐sized structures with nanosensitivity. Using synOCT it is possible to estimate the contribution of axial Fourier components of an object's structure in image formation at each small volume within the image. The size of such areas can be smaller than the resolution limit of the imaging system that provides potential for super‐resolution imaging. Visualization of the subwavelength periodic structures and quantitative visualization of the subwavelength internal structures of highly scattering biological samples, within voxels smaller than resolution limit of the imaging system, are demonstrated. In contrast to nsOCT, the trade‐off between spectral and spatial resolution is removed which results in dramatic improvement of both spectral and spatial resolution in synOCT relative to nsOCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Intravital cellular calcium imaging has emerged as a powerful tool to investigate how different types of neurons interact at the microcircuit level to produce seizure activity, with newfound potential to understand epilepsy. Although many methods exist to measure seizure-related activity in traditional electrophysiology, few yet exist for calcium imaging. Aim: To demonstrate an automated algorithmic framework to detect seizure-related events using calcium imaging--including the detection of pre-ictal spike events, propagation of the seizure wavefront, and terminal spreading waves for both population- level activity and that of individual cells. Approach: We developed an algorithm for precise recruitment detection of population and individual cells during seizure-associated events, which broadly leverages averaged population activity and high-magnitude slope features to detect single-cell pre-ictal spike and seizure recruitment. We applied this method to data recorded using awake in vivo two-photon calcium imaging during pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in mice. Results: We demonstrate that our detected recruitment times are concordant with visually identified labels provided by an expert reviewer and are sufficiently accurate to model the spatiotemporal progression of seizure-associated traveling waves. Conclusions: Our algorithm enables accurate cell recruitment detection and will serve as a useful tool for researchers investigating seizure dynamics using calcium imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The ability to visualize and track multiple biological processes in vivo in real time is highly desirable. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has emerged as an attractive modality for non-invasive cell tracking, with various luciferase reporters enabling parallel monitoring of several processes. However, simultaneous multiplexed imaging in vivo is challenging due to suboptimal reporter intensities and the need to image one luciferase at a time. We report a multiplexed BLI approach using a single substrate that leverages bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based reporters with distinct spectral profiles for triple-color BLI. These luciferase-fluorophore fusion reporters address light transmission challenges and use optimized coelenterazine substrates. Comparing BRET reporters across two substrate analogs identified a green-yellow-orange combination that allows simultaneous imaging of three distinct cell populations in vitro and in vivo. These tools provide a template for imaging other biological processes in vivo during a single BLI session using a single reporter substrate.

Adaptive Optics (AO) has emerged as a revolutionary technology in ophthalmology, offering an unprecedented view into the eye's microstructures with high-resolution imaging capabilities. Originally developed for astronomy, AO technology has been adapted to correct the eye’s optical aberrations, enabling the visualization of individual cellular structures such as photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium cells, and capillaries within the retinal vasculature. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AO, discussing its historical background, technical principles, and incorporation into existing systems. We explore its transformative impact on ophthalmic research and clinical practice, highlighting its role in enhancing our understanding of ocular physiology, disease progression, and response to therapies. The clinical applications of AO, including early disease detection and monitoring, are examined alongside the patient experience and economic considerations. Despite its potential, AO's widespread adoption is currently limited by factors such as high costs, technical complexity, and patient cooperation challenges. We discuss these barriers and the innovative solutions emerging to overcome them, including system simplification, expanded fields of view, and advanced image analysis techniques. The article concludes by reflecting on the promising future of AO, with its evolving role in disease management, surgical planning, and systemic disease monitoring. As AO technology continues to advance, it promises to reshape the landscape of ophthalmic care, offering deeper insights into eye health and more precise patient care.

Summary: Zebrafish and organoids, crucial for complex biological studies, necessitate an imaging system with deep tissue penetration, sample protection from environmental interference, and ample operational space. Traditional three-photon microscopy is constrained by short-working-distance objectives and falls short. Our long-working-distance high-collection-efficiency three-photon microscopy (LH-3PM) addresses these challenges, achieving a 58% fluorescence collection efficiency at a 20 mm working distance. LH-3PM significantly outperforms existing three-photon systems equipped with the same long working distance objective, enhancing fluorescence collection and dramatically reducing phototoxicity and photobleaching. These improvements facilitate accurate capture of neuronal activity and an enhanced detection of activity spikes, which are vital for comprehensive, long-term imaging. LH-3PM’s imaging of epileptic zebrafish not only showed sustained neuron activity over an hour but also highlighted increased neural synchronization and spike numbers, marking a notable shift in neural coding mechanisms. This breakthrough paves the way for new explorations of biological phenomena in small model organisms.

Summary: The outcome of cell signaling depends not only on signal strength but also on temporal progression. We use Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Resonance Energy Transfer (FLIM/FRET) biosensors to investigate intracellular signaling dynamics. We examined the β1 receptor-Gαs-cAMP signaling axis using both widefield frequency domain FLIM (fdFLIM) and fast confocal time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) setups. Unexpectedly, we observed that fdFLIM revealed transient cAMP responses in HeLa and Cos7 cells, contrasting with sustained responses as detected with TCSPC. Investigation revealed no light-induced effects on cAMP generation or breakdown. Rather, folic acid present in the imaging medium appeared to be the culprit, as its excitation with blue light sensitized degradation of β1 agonists. Our findings highlight the impact of subtle phototoxicity on experimental outcomes, advocating confocal TCSPC for reliable analysis of response kinetics and stressing the need for full disclosure of chemical formulations by scientific vendors.

Pathogenic bacteria in wounds impede successful skin grafting. However, their detection relies on culture methods, which delay confirmation by several days. Real-time fluorescence imaging detects bacteria, allowing for rapid assessment and documentation. We herein report a post modified radical mastectomy, surgical site infection with multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas spp. that underwent repeated antibiotic therapy and debridement and eventually grafting. In this case, a real-time fluorescence imaging device helped prevent graft rejection.

Abstract Mouse auditory cortex is composed of six sub-fields: primary auditory field (AI), secondary auditory field (AII), anterior auditory field (AAF), insular auditory field (IAF), ultrasonic field (UF) and dorsoposterior field (DP). Previous studies have examined thalamo-cortical connections in the mice auditory system and learned that AI, AAF, and IAF receive inputs from the ventral division of the medial geniculate body (MGB). However, the functional and thalamo-cortical connections between nonprimary auditory cortex (AII, UF, and DP) is unclear. In this study, we examined the locations of neurons projecting to these three cortical sub-fields in the MGB, and addressed the question whether these cortical sub-fields receive inputs from different subsets of MGB neurons or common. To examine the distributions of projecting neurons in the MGB, retrograde tracers were injected into the AII, UF, DP, after identifying these areas by the method of Optical Imaging. Our results indicated that neuron cells which in ventral part of dorsal MGB (MGd) and that of ventral MGB (MGv) projecting to UF and AII with less overlap. And DP only received neuron projecting from MGd. Interestingly, these three cortical areas received input from distinct part of MGd and MGv in an independent manner. Based on our foundings these three auditory cortical sub-fields in mice may independently process auditory information.

Background: Qualitative and quantitative assessment of retinal perfusion using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has shown to be effective in the treatment and management of various retinal and optic nerve diseases. However, manual analyses of OCTA images to calculate metrics related to Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) morphology, and retinal vascular density and morphology are costly, time-consuming, subject to human error, and are exposed to both inter and intra operator variability.Objective: This study aimed to develop an open-source software framework for quantitative OCTA (QOCTA). Particularly, for analyzing OCTA images and measuring several indices describing microvascular morphology, vessel morphology, and FAZ morphology.Material and Methods: In this analytical study, we developed a toolbox or QOCTA using image processing algorithms provided in MATLAB. The software automatically determines FAZ and measures several parameters related to both size and shape of FAZ including area, perimeter, Feret’s diameter circularity, axial ratio, roundness, and solidity. The microvascular structure is derived from the processed image to estimate the vessel density (VD). To assess the reliability of the software, three independent operators measured the mentioned parameters for the eyes of 21 subjects. The consistency of the values was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) index.Results: Excellent consistency was observed between the measurements completed for the superficial layer, ICC >0.9. For the deep layer, good reliability in the measurements was achieved, ICC >0.7. Conclusion: The developed software is reliable; hence, it can facilitate quantitative OCTA, further statistical comparison in cohort OCTA studies, and can assist with obtaining deeper insights into retinal variations in various populations.

As a noninvasive, nonradiative and high-speed imaging modality, fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1,000-1,700 nm) has demonstrated great potential for biomedical research and clinical study. The NIR-II window can be further divided into two spectral regions: NIR-IIa (1,000-1,300 nm) and NIR-IIb (1,500-1,700 nm). Compared to NIR-IIa, imaging in NIR-IIb region affords high-resolution imaging at subcentimeter tissue depths due to suppressed photon scattering and diminished tissue autofluorescence at long wavelengths, but relies on probes with high toxicity. To address the problem, researchers employ deep learning networks to attain NIR-IIb images from NIR-IIa images. However, current methods require numerous paired or unpaired images (more than 2800 images) as training sets, which can hardly acquire. In this work, an innovative convolutional neural network (BRCycle-GAN) is trained based on a small training set (merely 63 images) to transform NIR-IIa images into images with NIR-IIb imaging qualities. The NIR-IIb images generated by BRCycle-GAN outperform previous network models in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio, cosine similarity and other image evaluation indices.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a common type of skin cancer. Conventional approaches to BCC diagnosis often involve invasive histological examinations that can distort or even destroy information derived from the biomolecules in the sample. Therefore, a non-invasive, label-free examination method for the clinical diagnosis of BCC represents a critical advance. This study combined spectral- and time-resolved two-photon microscopy with a spectral phasor to extract rich biochemical information describing macroscopic tumor morphology and microscopic tumor metabolism. The proposed optical imaging technique achieved the rapid and efficient separation of tumor structures in systematic research conducted on normal and BCC human skin tissues. The results demonstrate that a combination of multidimensional data (e.g., fluorescence intensity, spectrum, and lifetime) with a spectral phasor can accurately identify tumor boundaries and achieve rapid separation. This label-free, real-time, multidimensional imaging technique serves as a complement to the conventional tumor diagnostic toolbox and demonstrates significant potential for the early diagnosis of BCC and wider applications in intraoperative auxiliary imaging.

We report on the design and construction of a laser scanning optical beam-induced current (OBIC) microscope by assembling cost-effective commercial optical and electronic hardware components and developing data acquisition and control software in LabVIEW. A preliminary OBIC image of a Si photodetector acquired by the developed microscope is presented to demonstrate its operational capability. The versatility of the design will allow for the construction of other scanning microscope modalities on the same platform.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia, and its development process and prediction of the degree of atrial fibrosis are of great significance for treatment and management. Optical imaging technology provides a new means for non-invasive observation of atrial electrical activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive effect of sinus node recovery time on the degree of atrial fibrosis in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and to provide a basis for the application of optical imaging technology in the study of atrial fibrosis. The study collected clinical and optical imaging data from a group of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and used statistical analysis methods to investigate the relationship between sinus node recovery time and the degree of atrial fibrosis. The research results indicate that there is a significant correlation between the recovery time of the sinus node and the degree of atrial fibrosis, that is, there is a positive correlation between the prolonged recovery time of the sinus node and the aggravation of atrial fibrosis. SNRT can serve as an effective indicator for evaluating atrial matrix and can be applied to predict recurrence after catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Shortening SNRT through catheter ablation can become an important predictor of effective catheter ablation.