BIOMEDICAL OPTOACOUSTICS

Optoacoustics is a promising modality for biomedical imaging,sensing,and monitoring with high resolution and contrast.In this paper,we present an overview of our studies for the last two decades on optoacoustic effects in tissues and imaging capabilities of the optoacoustic technique.In our earlier optoacoustic works we studied laser ablation of tissues and tissue-like media and proposed to use optoacoustics for imaging in tissues.In mid-90s we demonstrated detection of optoacoustic signals from tissues at depths of up to several centimeters,well deeper than the optical diffusion limit.We then obtained optoacoustic images of tissues both in vitro and in vivo.In late 90s we studied optoacoustic monitoring of thermotherapy:hyperthermia,coagulation,and freezing.Then we proposed and studied optoacoustic monitoring of blood oxygenation,hemoglobin concentration,and other physiologic parameters.

Adipose-derived stem cells improve grafted burn wound healing by promoting wound bed blood flow

Background:Researchers have explored the use of adipose-derived stem cells(ASCs)as a cellbased therapy to cover wounds in burn patients;however,underlying mechanistic aspects are not completely understood.We hypothesized that ASCs would improve post-burn wound healing after eschar excision and grafting by increasing wound blood flow via induction of angiogenesis-related pathways.Methods:To test the hypothesis,we used an ovine burn model.A 5 cm^(2) full thickness burn wound was induced on each side of the dorsum.After 24 hours,the burned skin was excised and a 2 cm^(2) patch of autologous donor skin was grafted.The wound sites were randomly allocated to either topical application of 7 million allogeneic ASCs or placebo treatment(phosphate-buffered saline[PBS]).Effects of ASCs culture media was also compared to those of PBS.Wound healing was assessed at one and two weeks following the application of ASCs.Allogeneic ASCs were isolated,cultured and characterized from non-injured healthy sheep.The identity of the ASCs was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis,differentiation into multiple lineages and gene expression via real-time polymerase chain reaction.Wound blood flow,epithelialization,graft size and take and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot.Results:Treatment with ASCs accelerated the patch graft growth compared to the control(p<0.05).Topical application of ASCs significantly increased wound blood flow(p<0.05).Expression of VEGF was significantly higher in the wounds treated with ASCs compared to control(p<0.05).Conclusions:ASCs accelerated grafted skin growth possibly by increasing the blood flow via angiogenesis induced by a VEGF-dependent pathway.