Ability Of Imaging Research Articles

A NIR fluorescent probe with large Stoke-shift based on cyanine for specifically imaging Cys in mitochondria

Cysteine (Cys) is a sulfhydryl-containing essential amino acid that can maintain redox balance in organisms. Abnormal changes in Cys levels can damage mitochondria, which are the main source of reactive oxygen species in cells. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a tool that can recognize Cys specifically in the mitochondria. In this study, a fluorescent probe (CRF-NIR) for the detection of Cys was designed and synthesized based on cyanine dye. The probe showed a NIR fluorescence emission at 752 nm and large Stokes shift (137 nm) after treated with Cys. The detecting process could complete within 30 min in MeOH/PBS buffer (4/1, v/v) solution and displayed a low limit of detection (LOD) as 0.22 μM. The sensing mechanism was checked by ESI-MS and the DFT calculations. More importantly, the probe had been shown to have good mitochondria-targeting and high-contrast imaging abilities, which has the potential to become a new chemical tool and provide help for detecting Cys in living systems.

Near‐Infrared Metalens Empowered Dual‐Mode High Resolution and Large FOV Microscope

AbstractThe spiral phase contrast microscope can clearly distinguish the morphological information of the low contrast objects (i.e., biological samples) owing to the isotropic edge‐enhancement effect, while the bright field microscope can image the overall morphology of amplitude objects. However, the imaging resolution, magnification, and field of view of conventional spiral phase contrast microscopes based on 4f filtering configuration are limited by the system's complexity. Here, compact dual‐mode microscopes working at near‐infrared using the engineered metalens are reported, which can be tuned between the spiral phase contrast imaging and bright field imaging by polarization control. The metalens combine the high‐resolution objective lens and polarization‐controlled phase filter into a single‐layer nanofins array. Two infinity‐corrected microscope systems are demonstrated to achieve subwavelength resolution (0.7λ), large magnification (58X), and large field of view (600 × 800 µm). Unstained onion epidermal is imaged by the microscope to show the dual‐mode imaging ability for the biological sample. Finally, a singlet dual‐mode microscope system is demonstrated to show the edge‐detection application for industrial standards. These results can open new opportunities in applications of biological imaging, industrial machine vision, and semiconductor inspection.

Репрезентация образа локуса в рекламном туристическом нарративе

The aim of the study is to define the features of locus image representation in a tourist advertising narrative. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that the consideration of locus image in a tourist advertising narrative has not been undertaken before. The novelty is also determined by the fact that for the first time loci have been singled out, that is, spaces actualized by geographical factors and natural and cultural landscapes. For the first time it has been indicated that loci represented by texts of a tourist advertising narrative simulate its sense-forming space and also construct a system of meanings. The article considers the different interpretations of the term “locus” by scholars and gives the author’s understanding of this concept. As a result of the research, the main loci in a tourist advertising narrative are singled out, namely: the locus of refuge and salvation, the locus of Paradise and absolute happiness, the locus of dreams, the locus of harmony, the locus of hope, the locus of relaxation and activation, the locus of new life, the locus of freedom, the locus of discovery, the locus of adventure, the locus of a fairy tale and a dream, the locus of mystery, the locus of returning to childhood, the locus of initiation. The text-forming potential of the locus image in a tourist advertising narrative is noted, as well as its dominance in focusing and holding the attention and interest of the text’s recipient. The ability of the locus image to potentially influence the consumer of the service by representing the topic of the text and the subsequent development of its structure is emphasized, which actualizes the topic and accumulates markers of valuable information.

Rapid in-situ calibration of computational micro-spectrometer with few-shot meta-learning

Computational micro-spectrometers comprised of detector arrays and encoding structure arrays, such as on-chip Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity filters, have great potential in many in-situ applications owing to their compact size and snapshot imaging ability. Given manufacturing deviation and environmental influence are inevitable, easy and effective calibration for spectrometer is necessary, especially for in-situ applications. Currently calibration strategies based on iterative algorithms or neural networks require accurate measurements of pixel-level (spectral) encoding functions through monochromator or large amounts of standard samples. These procedures are time-consuming and expensive, thereby impeding in-situ applications. Meta-learning algorithms with few-shot learning ability can address this challenge by incorporating the prior knowledge in the simulated dataset. In this work, we propose a meta-learning algorithm free of measuring encoding function or large amounts of standard samples to calibrate a micro-spectrometer with manufacturing deviation effectively. Our micro-spectrometer comprises 16 types of FP filters covering a wavelength range of 550-720 nm. The center wavelength of each filter type deviates from the design up to 6 nm. After calibration with 15 different color data, the average reconstruction error on the test dataset decreased from 7.2 × 10 − 3 to 1.2 × 10 − 3, and further decreased to 9.4 × 10 − 4 when the calibration data increased to 24. The performance is comparable to algorithms trained with measured encoding function both in reconstruction error and generalization ability. We estimated that the cost of in-situ calibration through reflectance measurements of color chart decreased to one percent of the cost through monochromator measurements. By exploiting prior deviation information in simulation data with meta-learning, the efficiency and cost of calibration are significantly improved, thereby facilitating the large-scale production and in-situ application of micro-spectrometers.

A Polyplatin with Hands-Holding Near-Infrared-II Fluorophores and Prodrugs at a Precise Ratio for Tracking Drug Fate with Realtime Readout and Treatment Feedback.

The in vivo fate of chemotherapeutic drugs plays a vital role in understanding the therapeutic outcome, side effects, and the mechanism. However, the lack of imaging abilities of drugs, tedious labeling processes, and premature leakage of imaging agents result in loss of fidelity between the drugs and imaging signals. Herein, an amphiphilic polymer is created by copolymerization of a near-infrared-II (NIR-II) fluorophore tracer (T) and an anticancer Pt(IV) prodrug (D) of cisplatin in a hand-holding manner into one polymer chain for the first time. The obtained PolyplatinDT is capable of delivering the drugs and the fluorophores concomitantly at a precise D/T ratio, thereby resulting in tracking the platinum drugs and even readout of them in real-time via NIR-II imaging. PolyplatinDT can self-assemble into nanoparticles, referred to as NanoplatinDT. Furthermore, a caspase-3 cleavable peptide that serves as an apoptosis reporter is attached to NanoplatinDT, resulting in NanoplatinDTR that are capable of simultaneously tracking platinum drugs and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy. Overall, it is reported here the design of the first theranostic polymer with anticancer drugs, drug tracers, and drug efficacy reporters that can work in concert to provide insight into the drug fate and mechanism of action.

The efficacy of using a multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-based radiomics model to distinguish glioma recurrence from pseudoprogression

ObjectiveThe early differential diagnosis of the postoperative recurrence or pseudoprogression (psPD) of a glioma is of great guiding significance for individualized clinical treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics model to distinguish between the postoperative recurrence and psPD of a glioma early on and in a noninvasive manner. MethodsA total of 52 patients with gliomas who attended the Hainan Provincial People's Hospital between 2000 and 2021 and met the inclusion criteria were selected for this study. 1137 and 1137 radiomic features were extracted from T1 enhanced and T2WI/FLAIR sequence images, respectively.After clearing some invalid information and LASSO screening, a total of 9 and 10 characteristic radiological features were extracted and randomly divided into the training set and the test set according to 7:3 ratio. Select-Kbest and minimum Absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO) were used for feature selection. Support vector machine and logistic regression were used to form a multi-parameter model for training and prediction. The optimal sequence and classifier were selected according to the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy. ResultsRadiomic models 1, 2 and 3 based on T1WI, T2FLAIR and T1WI + T2T2FLAIR sequences have better performance in the identification of postoperative recurrence and false progression of T1 glioma. The performance of model 2 is more stable, and the performance of support vector machine classifier is more stable. The multiparameter model based on CE-T1 + T2WI/FLAIR sequence showed the best performance (AUC:0.96, sensitivity: 0.87, specificity: 0.94, accuracy: 0.89,95% CI:0.93–1). ConclusionThe use of multiparametric MRI-based radiomics provides a noninvasive, stable, and accurate method for differentiating between the postoperative recurrence and psPD of a glioma, which allows for timely individualized clinical treatment.

N-methylbenzothiazolium based theranostics as fluorescence imaging and photo-oxidation agents for Amyloid-β

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with an insidious onset of symptoms. At present, there are no treatments that can effectively stop or reverse the disease from progressing. The development of effective methods for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease is therefore still urgently needed. In this article, we designed a family of Q-series probes (Q16∼Q21) that bind to Aβ aggregates by introducing different electron donors to bind to benzothiazole salts electron acceptors with different substituents to achieve imaging and photooxidation of aggregated Aβ proteins. The structure of the six probes was composed of N, N-dimethylaminophenyl and triphenylamine (donor groups), benzothiazole salts (acceptor groups), and π-conjugated double bonds. Among them, the probe Q17 with triphenylamine as the electron donor had a good singlet oxygen production efficiency, which can effectively carry out photooxidation after combining with Aβ aggregates, effectively reducing the degree of aggregation, and the cytotoxicity of Aβ aggregates was significantly reduced after bright light oxidation through cell experiments, which has great potentials in the treatment of Aβ photooxidation. On the other hand, probes Q16 and Q18 with N, N-dimethylaminophenyl as donors had excellent imaging abilities, good affinities for Aβ (Kd-Q16 = 26.95 nM, Kd-Q18 = 21.56 nM), can effectively image Aβ plaques in AD mouse brain slices and monitor the change of cell viscosity, and have a good application prospect in fluorescence imaging.

Value of third-generation of VNCa dual-energy CT for differentiating diffuse marrow infiltration of multiple myeloma from red bone marrow.

This study aims to investigate the ability of bone marrow imaging using third-generation dual-energy computed tomography (CT) virtual noncalcium (VNCa) to differentiate between multiple myeloma (MM) with diffuse bone marrow infiltration and red bone marrow (RBM). Bone marrow aspiration or follow-up results were used as reference. We retrospectively reviewed 188 regions of interests (ROIs) from 21 patients with confirmed MM and diffuse bone marrow infiltrations who underwent VNCa bone marrow imaging between May 2019 and September 2022. At the same time, we obtained 98 ROIs from 11 subjects with RBM for comparative study, and 189 ROIs from 20 subjects with normal yellow bone marrow for the control group. The ROIs were delineated by 2 radiologists independently, the interobservers reproducibility was evaluated by interclass correlation coefficients. The correlation with MRI grade results was analyzed by Spearman correlation coefficient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal threshold for differentiating between these groups and to assess diagnostic performance. There were statistically significant differences in VNCa CT values of bone marrow among the MM, RBM, and control groups (all P < .001), with values decreasing sequentially. A strong positive rank correlation was observed between normal bone marrow, subgroup MM with moderately and severe bone marrow infiltration divided by MRI and their corresponding CT values (ρ = 0.897, 95%CI: 0.822 to 0.942, P < .001). When the CT value of VNCa bone marrow was 7.15 HU, the area under the curve (AUC) value for differentiating RBM and MM was 0.723, with a sensitivity of 50.5% and a specificity of 89.8%. When distinguishing severe bone marrow infiltration of MM from RBM, the AUC value was 0.80 with a sensitivity 70.9% and a specificity 78.9%. The AUC values for MM, RBM, and the combined group compared to the control group were all >0.99, with all diagnostic sensitivity and specificity exceeding 95%. VNCa bone marrow imaging using third-generation dual-energy CT accurately differentiates MM lesions from normal bone marrow or RBM. It demonstrates superior diagnostic performance in distinguishing RBM from MM with diffuse bone marrow infiltration.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: What a Cardiologist Should Know

Abstract Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects 1 in 200–500 of the general population, with about 10%–20% identified clinically. The primary goal of imaging for a cardiologist is to provide an accurate diagnosis and add prognostic value. Multiplanar electrocardiogram-gated cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can evaluate all phases of the cardiac cycle. CMR excels in the accurate and reproducible evaluation of cardiac morphology, particularly in determining wall thickness and the distribution of hypertrophy. It can also assess the mitral valvular apparatus. Functional evaluation includes assessing contractility, accurate ejection fraction quantification, and visualizing and quantifying dynamic flow, particularly in the subaortic region. CMR strain imaging with feature tracking software evaluates segmental contractility. Late gadolinium enhancement (delayed enhancement), T1, and extracellular volume mapping add to the prognostic ability of CMR magnetic resonance imaging in predicting outcome by evaluating the myocardial fibrosis. CMR also adds value by evaluating the left atrium and right ventricle. A combination of the above helps accurately differentiate between phenotypes of HCM, suggest genetic forms of HCM, and monitor patients after treatment to track disease progression or changes. This review aims to describe the multiparametric strengths of CMR in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCM.

Evaluation of alternate image capturing devices for recording fingermarks at crime scenes

ABSTRACT This project evaluated the fingermark imaging ability of several alternate image capturing devices selected for their potential to assist with the recording of fingermarks in difficult-to-reach locations commonly encountered at crime scenes, e.g. the inside surface of door handles. Four small form-factor non-DSLR camera systems — intraoral camera, borescope, fibre-optic camera and an iPhone — were evaluated under controlled conditions for their ability to image fingermarks with sufficient detail for identification. Evaluation was conducted using black powdered fingermarks and standard photographic test targets. A qualitative visual evaluation approach was also developed to gauge whether image quality was appropriate for fingermark identification. The results obtained indicated that most of the systems were capable of capturing fingermark details suitable for identification in controlled environments; however, the inherent contrast of the fingermark had an impact on the success of various imaging devices. The practicality and capability of alternate camera devices for fingermark recovery in pseudo-operational conditions is part of ongoing research.

Experimental multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging characterization of iliocaval venous thrombosis pathological changes

ObjectiveIliocaval thrombotic obstruction is a challenging condition, especially because thrombus age and corresponding pathological remodeling at presentation are unknown, which directly impacts management. Our aim was to assess the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in determining age thresholds of experimentally created inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis in pigs. MethodsWe used a previously described swine model of IVC thrombosis. The animals underwent MRI at baseline, immediately after thrombosis creation, and after a follow-up period extending from 2 to 28 days. Thirteen pigs were divided into three groups according to disease chronicity: acute group (AG; n = 5), subacute group (SAG; n = 4), and chronic group (CG; n = 4), with a mean thrombosis age of 6.4 ± 2.5 days, 15.7 ± 2.8 days, and 28 ± 5.7 days, respectively. A T1-weighted volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination sequence was used to anatomically delineate IVC thrombus as a region of interest. Three other MRI sequences were used to assess the thrombus signal. ResultsThe Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant difference in T1 relaxation times after contrast injection (P = .026) between the three groups of chronicity. The AG (360.2 ± 102.5 ms) was significantly different from the CG (336.7 ± 55.2 ms; P = .003), and the SAG (354.1 ± 89.7 ms) was significantly different from the AG (P = .027). There was a statistically significant difference in native T2 relaxation times (P = .038) between the three groups. The AG (160 ± 86.7 ms) was significantly different from the SAG (142.3 ± 55.4 ms; P = .027), and the SAG was significantly different from the CG (178.4 ± 11.7 ms; P = .004). ConclusionsThis study highlighted MRI characteristics in a swine model that might have the potential to significantly differentiate subacute and chronic stages from an acute stage of deep vein thrombosis in humans. Further clinical studies in humans are warranted. Clinical RelevanceIn addition to providing a better understanding of venous thrombosis remodeling over time, magnetic resonance imaging has the potential to be a tool that could allow us to characterize the composition of venous thrombus over an interval, allowing for a refined analysis of the local evolution of venous thrombosis. We propose a noninvasive and innovative method to characterize different thresholds of chronicity with magnetic resonance imaging features of central deep vein thrombosis of the inferior vena cava experimentally obtained using a totally endovascular in vivo swine model, mimicking human pathophysiology. Being able to determine these features noninvasively is critical for vascular specialists when it comes to choosing between fibrinolytic therapy, percutaneous thrombectomy, or surgical management.

Multiparameter Assessment of Foam Cell Formation Progression Using a Dual-Color Switchable Fluorescence Probe.

The assessment of atherosclerosis (AS) progression has emerged as a prominent area of research. Monitoring various pathological features of foam cell (FC) formation is imperative to comprehensively assess AS progression. Herein, a simple benzospiropyran-julolidine-based probe, BSJD, with switchable dual-color imaging ability was developed. This probe can dynamically and reversibly adjust its molecular structure and fluorescent properties in different polar and pH environments. Such a polarity and pH dual-responsive characteristic makes it superior to single-responsive probes in dual-color imaging of lipid droplets (LDs) and lysosomes as well as monitoring their interaction. By simultaneously tracking various pathological features, including LD accumulation and size changes, lysosome dysfunction, and dynamically regulated lipophagy, more comprehensive information can be obtained for multiparameter assessment of FC formation progression. Using BSJD, not only the activation of lipophagy in the early stages and inhibition in the later phases during FC formation are clearly observed but also the important roles of lipophagy in regulating lipid metabolism and alleviating FC formation are demonstrated. Furthermore, BSJD is demonstrated to be capable of rapidly imaging FC plaque sites in AS mice with fast pharmacokinetics. Altogether, BSJD holds great promise as a dual-color organelle-imaging tool for investigating disease-related LD and lysosome changes and their interactions.

Effects of a Larger N‐Heterocyclic Ring in Rofecoxib Analogues on AIE Activity and Multifunctional Applications

AbstractTwo analogues of rofecoxib, 2‐Pyr‐ROF and 2‐Pip‐ROF, were designed according to the strategy of heterocyclic ring enlargement and facilely synthesized in a facile manner by Knoevenagel reactions. The first compound, 2‐Pyr‐ROF, had low quantum yields (QY) of 3.0 % in the solid states. After replacing the pyrrolidinyl with piperidinyl, the resulting 2‐Pip‐ROF had a significantly increased QY, with a value of 28 %. The root‐mean‐square deviation (RMSD) values between S0 and S1 of 2‐Pyr‐ROF and 2‐Pip‐ROF in tetrahydrofuran were 0.51, 0.35 Å, respectively. As compared with 2‐Pyr‐ROF, compound 2‐Pip‐ROF exhibited a smaller RMSD, which indicated a lower non‐radiative transition rate. A single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study and Hirshfeld surfaces analysis revealed that 2‐Pip‐ROF had a more nonplanar molecule structure and a weaker π‐π interaction, which might result in a higher fluorescence intensity and QY. Owing to its better aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) behavior, compound 2‐Pip‐ROF showed more multi‐functional applications, including mechanochromism, acidochromism, and lipid droplets imaging ability. These results imply that the strategy of heterocyclic ring enlargement provides a new paradigm for the design of new luminogens with AIE properties.

Multimodal phototherapy agents target lipid droplets for near-infrared imaging-guided type I photodynamic/photothermal therapy

The construction and optimization of a single phototherapeutic agent with photoluminescence, type I photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photothermal therapy (PTT) functions remain challenging. In this study, we aimed to design and synthesize four donor–acceptor (D-A) type aggregation-induced emission molecules: PSI, TPSI, PSSI, and TPSSI. We employed phenothiazine as an electron donor and 1,3-bis(dicyanomethylidene)indan as a strong electron acceptor in the synthesis process. Among them, TPSSI exhibited efficient type I reactive oxygen species generation, high photothermal conversion efficiency (45.44 %), and near-infrared emission. These observations can be attributed to the introduction of a triphenylamine electron donor group and a thiophene unit, which resulted in increased D–A strengths, a reduced singlet-triplet energy gap, and increased free intramolecular motion. TPSSI was loaded into bovine serum albumin to prepare biocompatible TPSSI nanoparticles (NPs). Our results have indicated that TPSSI NPs can target lipid droplets with negligible dark toxicity and can efficiently generate O2•− in hypoxic tumor environments. Moreover, TPSSI NPs selectively targeted 4T1 tumor tissues and exhibited a good PDT-PTT synergistic effect in vitro and in vivo. We believe that the successful preparation of multifunctional phototherapeutic agents will promote the development of efficient tumor diagnosis and treatment technologies. Statement of SignificanceThe construction of a single phototherapeutic agent with photoluminescence, type I photodynamic therapy, and photothermal therapy functions, and its optimization remain challenging. In this study, we construct four donor–acceptor aggregation-induced emission molecules using phenothiazine as an electron donor and 1,3-Bis(dicyanomethylidene)indan as a strong electron acceptor. By optimizing the molecular structure, an integrated phototherapy agent with fluorescence imaging ability and high photodynamic / photothermal therapy performance was prepared. We believe that the successful preparation of multifunctional phototherapeutic agents will promote the development of efficient tumor diagnosis and treatment technology.

Cs2NaGdCl6:Tb3+─A Highly Luminescent Rare-Earth Double Perovskite Scintillator for Low-Dose X-ray Detection and Imaging.

Rare-earth-based double perovskite (DP) X-ray scintillators have gained significant importance with low detection limits in medical imaging and radiation detection owing to their high light yield (LY) and remarkable spatial resolution. Herein, we report the synthesis of 3D double perovskite (DP) crystals, namely, Cs2NaGdCl6 and Tb3+-Cs2NaGdCl6 using hydrothermal reaction. Cs2NaGdCl6 DP single crystals exhibited a blue self-trapped exciton (STE) emission at 470 nm under ultraviolet (265 nm) excitation with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 8.4%. Introducing Tb3+ ions into Cs2NaGdCl6 has resulted in quenching of STE emission and enhancing green emission at 549 nm attributed to the 5D4 → 7F5 transition of Tb3+, suggesting efficient energy transfer (ET) from STE to Tb3+. This ET process is evidenced by the appearance of Tb3+ bands in the excitation spectra of the host, the shortening of the STE lifetimes in the presence of Tb3+ ions, and the enhancement of PLQY (72.6%). Furthermore, Cs2NaGdCl6:5%Tb3+ films of various thicknesses (0.1-0.6 mm) were synthesized and their X-ray scintillating performance has been examined. The Cs2NaGdCl6:5%Tb3+ film with 0.4 mm thickness has exhibited an excellent linear response to the X-ray dose rate with a low detection limit of 41.32 nGyair s-1, an LY of 39,100 photons MeV-1, and excellent radiation stability. Benefiting from the strong X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) of Cs2NaGdCl6:5%Tb3+, we developed a Cs2NaGdCl6:5%Tb3+ X-ray scintillator screen with a least thickness (0.1 mm), exhibiting remarkable imaging ability with a spatial resolution of 10.75 lp mm-1. These results suggest that Cs2NaGdCl6:Tb3+ can be a potential candidate for low-dose and X-ray imaging applications.

Dicyanoisophorone-based near-infrared fluorescent probe with large Stokes shift for the monitoring and bioimaging of hypochlorite

Hypochlorite (ClO−), as one of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is closely linked to various illnesses and is essential for the proper functioning of immune system. Hence, monitoring and assessing ClO− levels in organisms are extremely important for the clinical diagnosis of ClO−-related disorders. In this study, a novel ClO−-selective fluorescent probe, DCP-ClO, was synthesized with dicyanoisophorone-xanthene unit as parent fluorophore, which displayed excellent selectivity towards ClO−, near-infrared emission (755 nm), large Stokes shift (100 nm), real-time response to ClO−, high sensitivity (LOD = 3.95 × 10−8 M), and low cytotoxicity. The recognition mechanism of DCP-ClO towards ClO− was confirmed to be a typical ICT process by HPLC-MS, HR-MS, 1H NMR and theoretical calculations. Meanwhile, DCP-ClO demonstrated remarkable efficacy in monitoring ClO− levels in water samples and eye-catching ability in imaging endogenous/exogenous ClO− in living organisms, which verified its potential as a powerful tool for the recognition of ClO− in complex biological systems.

Concurrent spinal and brain imaging with optically pumped magnetometers

BackgroundThe spinal cord and its interactions with the brain are fundamental for movement control and somatosensation. However, brain and spinal electrophysiology in humans have largely been treated as distinct enterprises, in part due to the relative inaccessibility of the spinal cord. Consequently, there is a dearth of knowledge on human spinal electrophysiology, including the multiple pathologies that affect the spinal cord as well as the brain. New methodHere we exploit recent advances in the development of wearable optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) which can be flexibly arranged to provide coverage of both the spinal cord and the brain in relatively unconstrained environments. This system for magnetospinoencephalography (MSEG) measures both spinal and cortical signals simultaneously by employing custom-made scanning casts. ResultsWe evidence the utility of such a system by recording spinal and cortical evoked responses to median nerve stimulation at the wrist. MSEG revealed early (10 – 15 ms) and late (>20 ms) responses at the spinal cord, in addition to typical cortical evoked responses (i.e., N20). Comparison with existing methodsEarly spinal evoked responses detected were in line with conventional somatosensory evoked potential recordings. ConclusionThis MSEG system demonstrates the novel ability for concurrent non-invasive millisecond imaging of brain and spinal cord.

Recent Advances of Aminopeptidases-Responsive Small-Molecular Probes for Bioimaging.

Aminopeptidases, enzymes with critical roles in human body, are emerging as vital biomarkers for metabolic processes and diseases. Aberrant aminopeptidase levels are often associated with diseases, particularly cancer. Small-molecule probes, such as fluorescent, fluorescent/photoacoustics, bioluminescent, and chemiluminescent probes, are essential tools in the study of aminopeptidases-related diseases. The fluorescent probes provide real-time insights into protein activities, offering high sensitivity in specific locations, and precise spatiotemporal results. Additionally, photoacoustic probes offer signals that are able to penetrate deeper tissues. Bioluminescent and chemiluminescent probes can enhance in vivo imaging abilities by reducing the background. This comprehensive review is focused on small-molecule probes that respond to four key aminopeptidases: aminopeptidase N, leucine aminopeptidase, Pyroglutamate aminopeptidase 1, and Prolyl Aminopeptidase, and their utilization in imaging tumors and afflicted regions. In this review, the design strategy of small-molecule probes, the variety of designs from previous studies, and the opportunities of future bioimaging applications are discussed, serving as a roadmap for future research, sparking innovations in aminopeptidase-responsive probe development, and enhancing our understanding of these enzymes in disease diagnostics and treatment.

Good outcome prediction after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A prospective multicenter observational study in Korea (the KORHN-PRO registry)

AimTo assess the ability of clinical examination, biomarkers, electrophysiology and brain imaging, individually or in combination to predict good neurological outcomes at 6 months after CA. MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of the Korean Hypothermia Network Prospective Registry 1.0, which included adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients (≥18 years). Good outcome predictors were defined as both pupillary light reflex (PLR) and corneal reflex (CR) at admission, Glasgow Coma Scale Motor score (GCS-M) >3 at admission, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) <17 µg/L at 24–72 h, a median nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) N20/P25 amplitude >4 µV, continuous background without discharges on electroencephalogram (EEG), and absence of anoxic injury on brain CT and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). ResultsA total of 1327 subjects were included in the final analysis, and their median age was 59 years; among them, 412 subjects had a good neurological outcome at 6 months. GCS-M >3 at admission had the highest specificity of 96.7% (95% CI 95.3–97.8), and normal brain DWI had the highest sensitivity of 96.3% (95% CI 92.9–98.4). When the two predictors were combined, the sensitivities tended to decrease (ranging from 2.7–81.1%), and the specificities tended to increase, ranging from81.3–100%. Through the explorative variation of the 2021 European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) prognostication strategy algorithms, good outcomes were predicted, with a specificity of 83.2% and a sensitivity of 83.5% in patients by the algorithm. ConclusionsClinical examination, biomarker, electrophysiology, and brain imaging predicted good outcomes at 6 months after CA. When the two predictors were combined, the specificity further improved. With the 2021 ERC/ESICM guidelines, the number of indeterminate patients and the uncertainty of prognostication can be reduced by using a good outcome prediction algorithm.

Low‐Cost, Large‐Area, and Highly Transparent Organic Glassy Scintillators for High Resolution X‐Ray Imaging

AbstractThe architectural design and fabrication of low‐cost, high‐performance organic scintillators are critical for medical imaging and material/device analysis. However, achieving large‐area and high‐transparency organic scintillators in a low‐cost and easy‐to‐implement method remains a challenge. Herein, a new design strategy for regulating the side chain length of maleimide derivatives is demonstrated to develop organic scintillators for achieving low‐cost, large‐area, and high spatial resolution in X‐ray imaging. The effective intermolecular interactions and relatively twisted molecular structure endow PAM‐M4 molecule with outstanding scintillator properties. More importantly, as demonstrated for the first time, pure organic glassy films with a diameter over 10 cm and high optical transparency can be prepared by the developed melt‐quenched method using PAM‐M4 crystal powder as a raw material. This glassy film exhibits excellent X‐ray imaging ability with a spatial resolution as high as 27.0 lp mm−1 at MTF = 0.20, which is one of the best results among reported organic scintillators. The results of this work not only develop a new design strategy for high‐performance organic scintillators but also demonstrate a reliable approach to fabricating large area screens with superior spatial resolution for medical or industrial X‐ray imaging applications.