Readout Sequence Research Articles

Nanomechanical detection to empower robust monitoring of sepsis and microbial adaptive immune system-mediated proinflammatory disease

The correlation between circulating microbes and sepsis as well as proinflammatory diseases is increasingly gaining recognition. However, the detection of microbes’ cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which exist at concentrations of a billion times lower than blood proteins, poses a significant challenge for early disease detection. Here, we present Nano mechanics combined with highly sensitive readout sequences to address the challenges of ultralow counts of disease biomarkers, thus enabling robust quantitative monitoring of chronic medical conditions at different stages of human disease progression. To showcase the effectiveness of our approach, we employ fragments of cfDNA and human cell secretory proteins as models with predictive capabilities for human diseases. Notably, our method reveals a reliable representation over an impressive three to four orders of magnitude in the detection limit and dynamic range, surpassing commercially available quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) commonly used in routine clinical practice. This concept underpins a highly sensitive and selective medical device designed for the early detection of circulating microbes in patients undergoing intensive cancer therapy. This will help pinpoint individuals at risk of complications, including damage to the intestinal barrier and development of neutropenic fever/Sirsa/Sepsis. Moreover, this approach introduces new avenues for stratifying antibiotic prophylaxis in proinflammatory diseases.

Usefulness of synthetic MRI for differentiation of IDH-mutant diffuse gliomas and its comparison with the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign.

The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign is a characteristic imaging biomarker for astrocytoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant. However, investigators have provided varying interpretations of the positivity/negativity of this sign given for individual cases the nature of qualitative visual assessment. Moreover, MR sequence parameters also influence the appearance of the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign. To resolve these issues, we used synthetic MR technique to quantitatively evaluate and differentiate astrocytoma from oligodendroglioma. This study included 20 patients with newly diagnosed non-enhanced IDH-mutant diffuse glioma who underwent preoperative synthetic MRI using the Quantification of Relaxation Times and Proton Density by Multiecho acquisition of a saturation-recovery using Turbo spin-Echo Readout (QRAPMASTER) sequence at our institution. Two independent reviewers evaluated preoperative conventional MR images to determine the presence or absence of the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign. Synthetic MRI was used to measure T1, T2 and proton density (PD) values in the tumor lesion. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance. The pathological diagnoses included astrocytoma, IDH-mutant (n = 12) and oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant and 1p/19q-codeleted (n = 8). The sensitivity and specificity of T2-FLAIR mismatch sign for astrocytoma were 66.7% and 100% [area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.833], respectively. Astrocytoma had significantly higher T1, T2, and PD values than did oligodendroglioma (p < 0.0001, < 0.0001, and 0.0154, respectively). A cutoff lesion T1 value of 1580 ms completely differentiated astrocytoma from oligodendroglioma (AUC = 1.00). Quantitative evaluation of non-enhanced IDH-mutant diffuse glioma using synthetic MRI allowed for better differentiation between astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma than did conventional T2-FLAIR mismatch sign. Measurement of T1 and T2 value by synthetic MRI could improve the differentiation of IDH-mutant diffuse gliomas.

Measurement of T1ρ dispersion with compressed sensing and magnetization prepared radial balanced steady-state free precessionin spontaneous human osteoarthritis.

To assess the potential for accelerating continuous-wave (CW) T1ρ dispersion measurement with compressed sensing approach via studying the effect that the data reduction has on the ability to detect differences between intact and degenerated articular cartilage with different spin-lock amplitudes and to assess quantitative bias due to acceleration. Osteochondral plugs (n = 27, 4 mm diameter) from femur (n = 14) and tibia (n = 13) regions from human cadaver knee joints were obtained from commercial biobank (Science Care, USA) under Ethical permission 134/2015. MRI of specimens was performed at 9.4T with magnetization prepared radial balanced SSFP (bSSFP) readout sequence, and the CWT1ρ relaxation time maps were computed from the measured data. The relaxation time maps were evaluated in the cartilage zones for different acceleration factors. For reference, Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) grading and biomechanical measurements were performed and correlated with the MRI findings. Four-fold acceleration of CWT1ρ dispersion measurement by compressed sensing approach was feasible without meaningful loss in the sensitivity to osteoarthritic (OA) changes within the articular cartilage. Differences were significant between intact and OA groups in the superficial and transitional zones, and CWT1ρ correlated moderately with the reference measurements (0.3 < r < 0.7). CWT1ρ was able to differentiate between intact and OA cartilage even with four-fold acceleration. This indicates that acceleration of CWT1ρ dispersion measurement by compressed sensing approach is feasible with negligible loss in the sensitivity to osteoarthritic changes in articular cartilage.

Sodium quantification in skeletal muscle: comparison between Cartesian gradient-echo and radial ultra-short echo time 23Na MRI techniques

BackgroundClinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies often use Cartesian gradient-echo (GRE) sequences with ~2-ms echo times (TEs) to monitor apparent total sodium concentration (aTSC). We compared Cartesian GRE and ultra-short echo time three-dimensional (3D) radial-readout sequences for measuring skeletal muscle aTSC.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 211 datasets from 112 volunteers aged 62.3 ± 12.1 years (mean ± standard deviation), acquired at 3 T from the lower leg. For 23Na MRI acquisitions, we used a two-dimensional Cartesian GRE sequence and a density-adapted 3D radial readout sequence with cuboid field-of-view (DA-3D-RAD-C). We calibrated the 23Na MR signal using reference tubes either with or without agarose and subsequently performed a relaxation correction. Additionally, we employed a six-echo 1H GRE sequence and a multi-echo spin-echo sequence to calculate proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and water T2. Paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Cohen dz for paired samples, and Spearman correlation were used.ResultsRelaxation correction effectively reduced the differences in muscle aTSC between the two acquisition and calibration methods (DA-3D-RAD-C using NaCl/agarose references: 20.05 versus 19.14 mM; dz = 0.395; Cartesian GRE using NaCl/agarose references: 19.50 versus 18.82 mM; dz = 0.427).Both aTSC of the DA-3D-RAD-C and Cartesian GRE acquisitions showed a small but significant correlation with PDFF as well as with water T2.ConclusionsDifferent 23Na MRI acquisition and calibration approaches affect aTSC values. Applying relaxation correction is advised to minimize the impact of sequence parameters on quantification, and considering additional fat correction is advisable for patients with increased fat fractions.Relevance statementThis study highlights relaxation correction’s role in improving sodium MRI accuracy, paving the way for better disease assessment and comparability of measured sodium signal in patients.Key points• Differences in MRI acquisition methods hamper the comparability of sodium MRI measurements.• Measured sodium values depend on used MRI sequences and calibration method.• Relaxation correction during postprocessing mitigates these discrepancies.• Thus, relaxation correction enhances accuracy of sodium MRI, aiding its clinical use.Graphical

Characterization and Optimization of Skipper CCDs for the SOAR Integral Field Spectrograph

We present results from the characterization and optimization of Skipper charge-coupled devices (CCDs) for use in a focal plane prototype for the Southern Astrophysical Research Integral Field Spectrograph (SIFS). We tested eight Skipper CCDs and selected six for SIFS based on performance results. The Skipper CCDs are 6k × 1k, 15 μm pixels, thick, fully depleted, p-channel devices that have been thinned to ∼250 μm, backside processed, and treated with an anti-reflective coating. We demonstrate a single-sample readout noise of <4.3 e− rms pixel−1 in all amplifiers. We optimize the readout sequence timing to achieve a readout noise of 0.5 e− rms pixel−1 after 74 non-destructive measurements, which can be accomplished in a region covering 5% of the detector area in a readout time of <4 minutes. We demonstrate single-photon-counting in all 24 amplifiers (four amplifiers per detector) with a readnoise of σ N ∼ 0.18 e− rms pixel−1 after N samp = 400 samples, and we constrain the degree of nonlinearity to be ≲1% at low signal levels (0 e− to 50 e−). Clock-induced charge (CIC) remains an important issue when the Skipper CCD is configured to provide a large full-well capacity. We achieve a CIC rate of <1.45 × 10−3 e− pixel−1 frame−1 for a full-well capacity of ∼900 e−, which increases to a CIC rate of ∼3 e− pixel−1 frame−1 for full-well capacities ∼40,000–65,000 e−. We also perform conventional CCD characterization measurements such as charge transfer inefficiency (3.44 × 10−7 on average), dark current (∼2 × 10−4 e− pixel−1 s−1), photon transfer curves, cosmetic defects (<0.45% “bad” pixels), and charge diffusion (point-spread function < 7.5 μm) to verify that these properties are consistent with expectations from conventional p-channel CCDs used for astronomy. Furthermore, we provide the first measurements of the brighter-fatter effect and absolute quantum efficiency (≳80% between 450 and 980 nm; ≳90% between 600 and 900 nm) using Skipper CCDs.

Associations of Intracranial Artery Length and Branch Number on Time-of-Flight MRA With Cognitive Impairment in Hypertensive Older Males.

Hypertension-induced impairment of the cerebral artery network contributes to cognitive impairment. Characterizing the structure and function of cerebral arteries may facilitate the understanding of hypertension-related pathological mechanisms and lead to the development of new indicators for cognitive impairment. To investigate the associations between morphological features of the intracranial arteries distal to the circle of Willis on time-of-flight MRA (TOF-MRA) and cognitive performance in a hypertensive cohort. Prospective observational study. 189 hypertensive older males (mean age 64.9 ± 7.2 years). TOF-MRA sequence with a 3D spoiled gradient echo readout and arterial spin labeling perfusion imaging sequence with a 3D stack-of-spirals fast spin echo readout at 3T. The intracranial arteries were segmented from TOF-MRA and the total length of distal arteries (TLoDA) and number of arterial branches (NoB) were calculated. The mean gray matter cerebral blood flow (GM-CBF) was extracted from arterial spin labeling perfusion imaging. The cognitive level was assessed with short-term and long-term delay-recall auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) scores, and with montreal cognitive assessment. Univariable and multivariable linear regression were used to analyze the associations between TLoDA, NoB, GM-CBF and the cognitive assessment scores, with P < 0.05 indicating significance. TLoDA (r = 0.314) and NoB (r = 0.346) were significantly correlated with GM-CBF. Multivariable linear regression analyses showed that TLoDA and NoB, but not GM-CBF (P = 0.272 and 0.141), were significantly associated with short-term and long-term delay-recall AVLT scores. These associations remained significant after adjusting for GM-CBF. The TLoDA and NoB of distal intracranial arteries on TOF-MRA are significantly associated with cognitive impairment in hypertensive subjects. 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.

Transition metal and lanthanide modified MOF-808 for barcode design.

This study explores the utilization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly those incorporating lanthanide-based elements for their fluorescence capabilities, to create an advanced barcode system. By exploiting the modular nature of MOFs, we have developed a material capable of dynamic information encoding and robust against counterfeiting efforts. We introduce a novel barcode prototype that exhibits visible color shifts and fluorescence modulation when exposed to a specific sequence of chemical and thermal stimuli. The barcode is composed of MOF-808, which is modified with transition metals like iron or cobalt, and europium cations. These components are embedded within polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to form a composite. This embedding process ensures that the MOF particles remain reactive to specific trigger molecules, enabling a distinct read-out sequence. The decoding process, involving exposure to ammonia, heating at 120 °C, and treatment with HCl, triggers observable changes in fluorescence and color, depending on the transition metal used. Our investigations with Eu,Co-MOF-808, and Eu,Fe-MOF-808 composites have resulted in the creation of a barcode prototype that demonstrates the feasibility of using europium-modified and unmodified transition metal modified MOF-808@PVDF composites for enhanced security applications.

Whole-Cerebrum distortion-free three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling at 7T

Fulfilling potentials of ultrahigh field for pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (pCASL) has been hampered by B1/B0 inhomogeneities that affect pCASL labeling, background suppression (BS), and the readout sequence. This study aimed to present a whole-cerebrum distortion-free three-dimensional (3D) pCASL sequence at 7T by optimizing pCASL labeling parameters, BS pulses, and an accelerated Turbo-FLASH (TFL) readout. A new set of pCASL labeling parameters (Gave = 0.4 mT/m, Gratio = 14.67) was proposed to avoid interferences in bottom slices while achieving robust labeling efficiency (LE). An OPTIM BS pulse was designed based on the range of B1/B0 inhomogeneities at 7T. A 3D TFL readout with 2D-CAIPIRINHA undersampling (R = 2 × 2) and centric ordering was developed, and the number of segments (Nseg) and flip angle (FA) were varied in simulation to achieve the optimal trade-off between SNR and spatial blurring. In-vivo experiments were performed on 19 subjects. The results showed that the new set of labeling parameters effectively achieved whole-cerebrum coverage by eliminating interferences in bottom slices while maintaining a high LE. The OPTIM BS pulse achieved 33.3% higher perfusion signal in gray matter (GM) than the original BS pulse with a cost of 4.8-fold SAR. Incorporating a moderate FA (8°) and Nseg (2), whole-cerebrum 3D TFL-pCASL imaging was achieved with a 2 × 2 × 4 mm3 resolution without distortion and susceptibility artifacts compared to 3D GRASE-pCASL. In addition, 3D TFL-pCASL showed a good to excellent test-retest repeatability and potential of higher resolution (2 mm isotropic). The proposed technique also significantly improved SNR when compared to the same sequence at 3T and simultaneous multislice TFL-pCASL at 7T. By combining a new set of labeling parameters, OPTIM BS pulse, and accelerated 3D TFL readout, we achieved high resolution pCASL at 7T with whole-cerebrum coverage, detailed perfusion and anatomical information without distortion, and sufficient SNR.

3D T1 relaxation time measurements in an equine model of subtle post-traumatic osteoarthritis using MB-SWIFT.

The aim of this study is to assess whether articular cartilage changes in an equine model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), induced by surgical creation of standard (blunt) grooves, and very subtle sharp grooves, could be detected with ex vivo T1 relaxation time mapping utilizing three-dimensional (3D) readout sequence with zero echo time. Grooves were made on the articular surfaces of the middle carpal and radiocarpal joints of nine mature Shetland ponies and osteochondral samples were harvested at 39 weeks after being euthanized under respective ethical permissions. T1 relaxation times of the samples (n = 8 + 8 for experimental and n = 12 for contralateral controls) were measured with a variable flip angle 3D multiband-sweep imaging with Fourier transform sequence. Equilibrium and instantaneous Young's moduli and proteoglycan (PG) content from OD of Safranin-O-stained histological sections were measured and utilized as reference parameters for the T1 relaxation times. T1 relaxation time was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in both groove areas, particularly in the blunt grooves, compared with control samples, with the largest changes observed in the superficial half of the cartilage. T1 relaxation times correlated weakly (Rs ≈ 0.33) with equilibrium modulus and PG content (Rs ≈ 0.21). T1 relaxation time in the superficial articular cartilage is sensitive to changes induced by the blunt grooves but not to the much subtler sharp grooves, at the 39-week timepoint post-injury. These findings support that T1 relaxation time has potential in detection of mild PTOA, albeit the most subtle changes could not be detected.

Low Prevalence of Late Myocardial Injury on Cardiac MRI Following COVID-19 Infection.

The prevalence of abnormal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings indicative of myocardial injury in patients who recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently unclear, with a high variability in the reported prevalence. To assess the prevalence of myocardial injury after a COVID-19 infection. Prospective, bicentric study. Seventy consecutive patients who recovered from COVID-19 and were previously hospitalized. Mean age was 57 years and 39% of the patients were female. Ten healthy controls and a comparator group of 75 nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients were employed. 1.5-T, steady-state free precession (SSFP) gradient-echo sequence, modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence with balanced SSFP readout, T2-prepared spiral readout sequence and a T1-weighted inversion recovery fast gradient-echo sequence was acquired ~4-5 months after recovery from COVID-19. The SSFP sequence was utilized for the calculation of left and right ventricular volumes and ejection fractions (LVEF and RVEF) following manual endocardial contouring. T1 and T2 mapping was performed by pixel-wise exponential fitting, and T1 and T2 values were computed by manual contouring of the left ventricular endocardial and epicardial walls. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images were graded qualitatively as LGE present or absent. T-tests and the χ2 or Fisher's exact tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables respectively between the COVID-19 and NICM groups. Inter-rater agreement was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient for continuous variables and Cohen's kappa test for LGE. Reduced RVEF occurred in 10%, LGE and elevated native T1 in 9%, reduced LVEF in 4%, and elevated T2 in 3% of COVID-19 patients, respectively. Patients with NICM had lower mean LVEF (41.6% ± 6% vs. 60% ± 7%), RVEF (46% ± 5% vs. 61% ± 9%), and a significantly higher prevalence of LGE (27% vs. 9%) when compared to those post-COVID-19. Abnormal cardiac MRI findings may show a low prevalence in patients who recovered from COVID-19 and were previously hospitalized. 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

A Digital CCD Noise Reduction Technique Experimentally Tested on a Large Batch of Scientific Sensors

In this paper, a digital optimal-filtering method is proposed for reducing readout noise in charge-coupled devices (CCDs). The technique includes a number of noise sources that other methods omit but may restrict the sensor’s effectiveness. A procedure is described to obtain the noise directly from the video signal under standard readout sequence, instead of using an indirect noise measurements approach that do not capture all the interference sources. The proposed research method underwent extensive experimental testing on a large number of scientific sensors, reducing noise in comparison to standard techniques. A significant improvement in the performance comes from using a non-stationary noise model for the video signal and the calibration of the dynamics of the charge transfer signal for each sensor. The average reduction in the noise standard deviation of all tested devices was approximately 40%. Moreover, the spread of the standard deviation values was reduced compared to the standard technique. These two aspects indicate that this technique may increase the selection yield for the construction of multiple-sensors instruments.

Customized whole brain-covering 3D GRASE in multi-delay pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling for duplex distinct hemodynamic mapping contrasts of brain tissues and circulation pathways

Gradient and spin echo (GRASE) is widely employed in arterial spin labeling (ASL) as an efficient readout sequence. Hemodynamic parameter mappings of perfusion, such as cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT), can be derived via multi-delay ASL acquisitions. Multi-delay ASL perfusion imaging inevitably suffers limited signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) since a motion-sensitized vessel suppressing module has to be employed to highlight perfusion signals. The present work reveals that in multi-delay ASL, manipulation of GRASE sequence on either planar imaging echo echo train for adjusted spatial resolutions or FSE echo train for modulated extent of T 2-blurring can significantly alter the mapping contrasts among tissues and among cerebral lobes under different pathways of blood circulation, and meanwhile regulates SNR. Four separate multi-delay ASL scans with different echo train designs in 3D whole brain covering GRASE were carried out for healthy subjects to evaluate the variations in regard to the parameter quantifications and SNR. Based on the quantification mappings, the GRASE acquisition with moderate spatial resolution (3.5 × 3.5 × 4 mm3) and segmented k z scheme was recognized for the first time to be recommended for more unambiguous CBF and ATT contrasts between GM and WM in conjunction with more enhanced ATT contrast between anterior and posterior cerebral circulations, with reasonably good SNR. The technical proposal is of great value for the cutting-edge research of a variety of neurological diseases of global concerns.

A pulsed time-varying method for improving the spin readout efficiency of nitrogen vacancy centers

In this work, a time-varying pulse waveform spin readout sequence method is proposed to improve the spin readout efficiency of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. The method consists of performing the readout signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis via the construction of a rate equation model of the NV center. We demonstrate a superior performance from the time-varying waveform readout approach and focus on the role of the readout optimization in quantum measurements. A detailed comparison of the readout SNR of the time-varying waveform and conventional waveform is provided. We experimentally demonstrate that the readout SNR is increased by 8% by utilizing an optimized waveform. It is anticipated that the improved method will effectively benefit the sensing capability of NV center ensembles and provide support for high-precision measurements of solid systems.

MPV—Parallel Readout Architecture for the VME Data Acquisition System

Mountable controller with parallelized VERSA Module Eurocard (VME) (MPV) is a VME-compatible system having a parallel readout architecture. This article presents the system architecture and its data acquisition performance. In this system, the readout sequence is implemented in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to achieve the ideal VME bus speed. Data from multiple VME slave modules are read out in parallel, merged, and sent to a server. Maximum data throughput of 400 Mbps was achieved. Thus, the MPV system can dramatically improve the performance of VME data acquisition systems.

On the signal-to-noise ratio benefit of spiral acquisition in diffusion MRI.

Spiral readouts combine several favorable properties that promise superior net sensitivity for diffusion imaging. The purpose of this study is to verify the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) benefit of spiral acquisition in comparison with current echo-planar imaging (EPI) schemes. Diffusion-weighted in vivo brain data from three subjects were acquired with a single-shot spiral sequence and several variants of single-shot EPI, including full-Fourier and partial-Fourier readouts as well as different diffusion-encoding schemes. Image reconstruction was based on an expanded signal model including field dynamics obtained by concurrent field monitoring. The effective resolution of each sequence was matched to that of full-Fourier EPI with 1 mm nominal resolution. SNR maps were generated by determining the noise statistics of the raw data and analyzing the propagation of equivalent synthetic noise through image reconstruction. Using the same approach, maps of noise amplification due to parallel imaging (g-factor) were calculated for different acceleration factors. Relative to full-Fourier EPI at b = 0 s/mm2 , spiral acquisition yielded SNR gains of 42-88% and 40-89% in white and gray matter, respectively, depending on the diffusion-encoding scheme. Relative to partial-Fourier EPI, the gains were 36-44% and 34-42%. Spiral g-factor maps exhibited less spatial variation and lower maxima than their EPI counterparts. Spiral readouts achieve significant SNR gains in the order of 40-80% over EPI in diffusion imaging at 3T. Combining systematic effects of shorter echo time, readout efficiency, and favorable g-factor behavior, similar benefits are expected across clinical and neurosciences uses of diffusion imaging.

Intracranial 3D and 4D MR Angiography Using Arterial Spin Labeling: Technical Considerations.

In the 1980’s some of the earliest studies of arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI have demonstrated its ability to generate MR angiography (MRA) images. Thanks to many technical improvements, ASL has been successfully moving its position from the realm of research into the clinical area, albeit more known as perfusion imaging than as MRA. For MRA imaging, other techniques such as time-of-flight, phase contrast MRA and contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA are more popular choices for clinical applications. In the last decade, however, ASL-MRA has been experiencing a remarkable revival, especially because of its non-invasive nature, i.e. the fact that it does not rely on the use of contrast agent. Very importantly, there are additional benefits of using ASL for MRA. For example, its higher flexibility to achieve both high spatial and temporal resolution than CE dynamic MRA, and the capability of vessel specific visualization, in which the vascular tree arising from a selected artery can be exclusively visualized. In this article, the implementation and recent developments of ASL-based MRA are discussed; not only focusing on the basic sequences based upon pulsed ASL or pseudo-continuous ASL, but also including more recent labeling approaches, such as vessel-selective labeling, velocity-selective ASL, vessel-encoded ASL and time-encoded ASL. Although these ASL techniques have been already utilized in perfusion imaging and their usefulness has been suggested by many studies, some additional considerations should be made when employing them for MRA, since there is something more than the difference of the spatial resolution of the readout sequence. Moreover, extensive discussion is included on what readout sequence to use, especially by highlighting how to achieve high spatial resolution while keeping scan-time reasonable such that the ASL-MRA sequence can easily be included into a clinical examination.

Compact and Filter-Free Luminescence Biosensor for Mobile in Vitro Diagnoses.

We report a sensitive and versatile biosensing approach, LUCID (luminescence compact in vitro diagnostics), for quantitative molecular and cellular analyses. LUCID uses upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as luminescent reporters in mutually exclusive photoexcitation and read-out sequences implemented on a smartphone. The strategy improves imaging signal-to-noise ratios, eliminating interference from excitation sources and minimizing autofluorescence, and thus enables filterless imaging. Here we developed a miniaturized detection system and optimized UCNPs for the system and biological applications. Nanoparticle luminescence lifetime was extended by controlling particle structure and composition. When tested with a range of biological targets, LUCID achieved high detection sensitivity (0.5 pM for protein and 0.1 pM for nucleic acids), differentiated bacterial samples, and allowed profiling of cells. In proof-of-concept clinical use, LUCID demonstrated effective screening of cancer cells in cervical brushing specimens, identifying patients at high risk for malignancy. These results suggest that LUCID could serve as a broadly applicable and inexpensive diagnostic platform.

Vessel architecture imaging using multiband gradient-echo/spin-echo EPI.

ObjectivesTo apply the MB (multiband) excitation and blipped-CAIPI (blipped-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging) techniques in a spin and gradient-echo (SAGE) EPI sequence to improve the slice coverage for vessel architecture imaging (VAI).Materials and methodsBoth MB excitation and blipped-CAIPI with in-plane parallel imaging were incorporated into a gradient-echo (GE)/spin-echo (SE) EPI sequence for simultaneous tracking of the dynamic MR signal changes in both GE and SE contrasts after the injection of contrast agent. MB and singleband (SB) excitation were compared using a 20-channel head coil at 3 Tesla, and high-resolution MB VAI could be performed in 32 glioma patients.ResultsWhole-brain covered high resolution VAI can be achieved after applying multiband excitation with a factor of 2 and in-plane parallel imaging with a factor of 3. The quality of the images resulting from MB acceleration was comparable to those from the SB method: images were reconstructed without any loss of spatial resolution or severe distortions. In addition, MB and SB signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) were similar. A relative low g-factor induced from the MB acceleration method was achieved after using a blipped-CAIPI technique (1.35 for GE and 1.33 for SE imaging). Performing quantitative VAI, we found that, among all VAI parametric maps, microvessel type indicator (MTI), distance map (I) and vascular-induced bolus peak-time shift (VIPS) were highly correlated. Likewise, VAI parametric maps of slope, slope length and short axis were highly correlated.ConclusionsMultiband accelerated SAGE successfully doubles the number of readout slices in the same measurement time when compared to conventional readout sequences. The corresponding VAI parametric maps provide insights into the complexity and heterogeneity of vascular changes in glioma.

Design and offline processing of an ultrafast digitizer based on internal cascaded DRS4

In this paper, we present an ultrafast digitizer utilizing the DRS4 switched capacitor array application-specific integrated circuit to achieve an ultrafast sampling speed of at most 5 GS/s. We cascaded all eight channels (sub-channels) of a single DRS4 chip for increased storage depth. The digitizer contains four DRS4 chips, a quad-channel analog-to-digital converter, a controlling field-programmable gate array, a PXI interface, and an SFP+ connector. Consequently, each DRS4 channel has a depth of 8192 points and a vertical resolution of 14 bits. The readout sequences should be broken into several segments and then reordered to obtain the correct sequential data sets, and this offline procedure varies in different readout modes. This paper describes the design and implementation of the hardware; in particular, the respective processing procedures are described in detail. Furthermore, the offset error is calibrated and corrected to improve the precision of the captured waveform in both single-channel and high-resolution modes.

Integrated polychromator and data acquisition system for the Thomson scattering diagnostic

New experiments with higher electron temperatures in the gas dynamic trap (GDT) magnetic mirror require a substantial upgrade of the Thomson scattering diagnostic. The paper presents the recently developed polychromator based on interference filters, which has the data acquisition and processing system onboard. The six spectral channels have wavelength pass bands distributed from 900 nm to 1057 nm to enable measurements of the electron temperature in the range from 20 eV to approximately 2 keV . The optimized design of the detection module with the avalanche photodiode and the signal amplifier yields the transmission factor of 4× 106 V/W in the bandwidth of 1 to 50 MHz in the high-speed detection channel. For a 1064 nm laser pulse of 10 ns duration, the amplifier noise equivalent is only 30 photons. Every detection module is also equipped with the low-speed (0 to 1 kHz) detection channel for separate measurements of background plasma radiation. This option also enables an easy calibration of the spectral response function using a continuous-wave light source like tungsten lamp. The high-speed acquisition channel utilizes the “time stretch” principle. It uses the 5.5 GSample/s analog memory arranged in the switched capacitor array to hold the signal trace of 200 ns duration, which is then processed by a relatively slow 14-bit digitizer. The acquisition and readout sequence can be cycled at the frequency of up to 40 kHz providing the necessary time resolution in experiments with multiple laser beam pulses. The polychromator onboard data processing electronics is controlled by the System on Chip solution with the procedures of data processing implemented in the Field Programmable Gate Array. Lab test results along with first plasma measurements are presented in the paper.