Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging Contrast Agents for Clinical Research: Limitations and Alternatives

Introduction: Near-infrared fluorescence imaging is a technique that will establish itself in the short term at the international level because it is recognized for its potential to improve the performance of surgical interventions, its moderate investment and operating costs and its portability. Although the technology is now mature, there is currently the problem of the availability of contrast agents to be injected IV. The aim of this methodology article is to propose an alternative solution to the need for contrast agents for clinical research, particularly in oncology. Methodology: They consist of coupling a fluorescent marker in the form of an NHS derivative, such as IR DYE manufactured in compliance with GMP, with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies having marketing authorization for molecular imaging. For a given antibody, the marking procedure must be the subject of a validation file on the final preparation filtered on a sterilizing membrane at 0.22 μm. Once the procedure has been validated, it would be unnecessary to repeat the tests before each clinical research examination. A check of the marking by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and place it in a sample bank at +4˚C for 1 month of each injected formulation would be sufficient for additional tests if necessary. Conclusion: Molecular near-infrared fluorescence imaging is experiencing development, the process of which could be accelerated by greater availability of clinical contrast agents. Alternative solutions are therefore necessary to promote clinical research in this area. These methods must be shared to make it easier for researchers.

Imaging through scattering layers using a near-infrared low-spatial-coherence fiber random laser

Optical memory effect-based speckle-correlated technology has been developed for reconstructing hidden objectsfrom disordered speckle patterns,achieving imaging through scattering layers.However,the lighting efficiency and fieldof view of existing speckle-correlated imaging systems are limited.Here,a near-infrared low spatial coherence fiberrandom laser illumination method is proposed to address the above limitations.Through the utilization of random Rayleighscattering within dispersion-shifted fibers to provide feedback,coupled with stimulated Raman scattering for amplification,a near-infrared fiber random laser exhibiting a high spectral density and extremely low spatial coherence is generated.Based on the designed fiber random laser,speckle-correlated imaging through scattering layers is achieved,with highlighting efficiency and a large imaging field of view.This work improves the performance of speckle-correlated imagingand enriches the research on imaging through scattering medium.

Quantification of the adulteration concentration of palm kernel oil in virgin coconut oil using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging

The adulteration concentration of palm kernel oil(PKO)in virgin coconut oil(VCO)was quantified using near-infrared(NIR)hyperspectral imaging.Nowadays,some VCO is adulterated with lower-priced PKO to reduce production costs,which diminishes the quality of the VCO.This study used NIR hyperspectral imaging in the wavelength region 900-1,650 nm to create a quantitative model for the detection of PKO contaminants(0-100%)in VCO and to develop predictive mapping.The prediction equation for the adulteration of VCO with PKO was constructed using the partial least squares regression method.The best predictive model was pre-processed using the standard normal variate method,and the coefficient of determination of prediction was 0.991,the root mean square error of prediction was 2.93%,and the residual prediction deviation was 10.37.The results showed that this model could be applied for quantifying the adulteration concentration of PKO in VCO.The prediction adulteration concentration mapping of VCO with PKO was created from a calibration model that showed the color level according to the adulteration concentration in the range of 0-100%.NIR hyperspectral imaging could be clearly used to quantify the adulteration of VCO with a color level map that provides a quick,accurate,and non-destructive detection method.

Optical design of a novel near-infrared phase contrast imaging(NI-PCI)diagnostic on the HL-2A tokamak

The optical design of near-infrared phase contrast imaging(NI-PCI)diagnosis on HL-2A is introduced in this paper.This scheme benefits from the great progress of near-infrared laser technology and is a broadening of traditional phase contrast technology.This diagnostic can work as a keen tool to measure plasma wavenumber spectra by inferring string-integrated plasma density fluctuations.Design of both the front optical path which is the path before the laser transmitting into the tokamak plasma and the rear optics which is the path after the laser passing through the plasma is detailed.The 1550 nm laser is chosen as the probe beam and highprecision optical components are designed to fit the laser beam,in which a phase plate with a 194-nm-deep silver groove is the key.Compared with the conventional 10.6μm laser-based PCI system on HL-2A,NI-PCI significantly overcomes the unwanted phase scintillation effect and promotes the measurement capability of high-wavenumber turbulence with an increased maximal measurable wavenumber from 15 cm^(-1)to 32.6 cm^(-1).

Using restored two-dimensional X-ray images to reconstruct the three-dimensional magnetopause

Astronomical imaging technologies are basic tools for the exploration of the universe,providing basic data for the research of astronomy and space physics.The Soft X-ray Imager(SXI)carried by the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE)aims to capture two-dimensional(2-D)images of the Earth’s magnetosheath by using soft X-ray imaging.However,the observed 2-D images are affected by many noise factors,destroying the contained information,which is not conducive to the subsequent reconstruction of the three-dimensional(3-D)structure of the magnetopause.The analysis of SXI-simulated observation images shows that such damage cannot be evaluated with traditional restoration models.This makes it difficult to establish the mapping relationship between SXIsimulated observation images and target images by using mathematical models.We propose an image restoration algorithm for SXIsimulated observation images that can recover large-scale structure information on the magnetosphere.The idea is to train a patch estimator by selecting noise–clean patch pairs with the same distribution through the Classification–Expectation Maximization algorithm to achieve the restoration estimation of the SXI-simulated observation image,whose mapping relationship with the target image is established by the patch estimator.The Classification–Expectation Maximization algorithm is used to select multiple patch clusters with the same distribution and then train different patch estimators so as to improve the accuracy of the estimator.Experimental results showed that our image restoration algorithm is superior to other classical image restoration algorithms in the SXI-simulated observation image restoration task,according to the peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity.The restoration results of SXI-simulated observation images are used in the tangent fitting approach and the computed tomography approach toward magnetospheric reconstruction techniques,significantly improving the reconstruction results.Hence,the proposed technology may be feasible for processing SXI-simulated observation images.

Background removal from global auroral images:Data-driven dayglow modeling

Global images of auroras obtained by cameras on spacecraft are a key tool for studying the near-Earth environment.However,the cameras are sensitive not only to auroral emissions produced by precipitating particles,but also to dayglow emissions produced by photoelectrons induced by sunlight.Nightglow emissions and scattered sunlight can contribute to the background signal.To fully utilize such images in space science,background contamination must be removed to isolate the auroral signal.Here we outline a data-driven approach to modeling the background intensity in multiple images by formulating linear inverse problems based on B-splines and spherical harmonics.The approach is robust,flexible,and iteratively deselects outliers,such as auroral emissions.The final model is smooth across the terminator and accounts for slow temporal variations and large-scale asymmetries in the dayglow.We demonstrate the model by using the three far ultraviolet cameras on the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration(IMAGE)mission.The method can be applied to historical missions and is relevant for upcoming missions,such as the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE)mission.

Deep learning-based inpainting of saturation artifacts in optical coherence tomography images

Limited by the dynamic range of the detector,saturation artifacts usually occur in optical coherence tomography(OCT)imaging for high scattering media.The available methods are difficult to remove saturation artifacts and restore texture completely in OCT images.We proposed a deep learning-based inpainting method of saturation artifacts in this paper.The generation mechanism of saturation artifacts was analyzed,and experimental and simulated datasets were built based on the mechanism.Enhanced super-resolution generative adversarial networks were trained by the clear–saturated phantom image pairs.The perfect reconstructed results of experimental zebrafish and thyroid OCT images proved its feasibility,strong generalization,and robustness.

Enhancing Dense Small Object Detection in UAV Images Based on Hybrid Transformer

Transformer-based models have facilitated significant advances in object detection.However,their extensive computational consumption and suboptimal detection of dense small objects curtail their applicability in unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)imagery.Addressing these limitations,we propose a hybrid transformer-based detector,H-DETR,and enhance it for dense small objects,leading to an accurate and efficient model.Firstly,we introduce a hybrid transformer encoder,which integrates a convolutional neural network-based cross-scale fusion module with the original encoder to handle multi-scale feature sequences more efficiently.Furthermore,we propose two novel strategies to enhance detection performance without incurring additional inference computation.Query filter is designed to cope with the dense clustering inherent in drone-captured images by counteracting similar queries with a training-aware non-maximum suppression.Adversarial denoising learning is a novel enhancement method inspired by adversarial learning,which improves the detection of numerous small targets by counteracting the effects of artificial spatial and semantic noise.Extensive experiments on the VisDrone and UAVDT datasets substantiate the effectiveness of our approach,achieving a significant improvement in accuracy with a reduction in computational complexity.Our method achieves 31.9%and 21.1%AP on the VisDrone and UAVDT datasets,respectively,and has a faster inference speed,making it a competitive model in UAV image object detection.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in non-invasive neuromodulation

Non-invasive cerebral neuromodulation technologies are essential for the reorganization of cerebral neural networks,which have been widely applied in the field of central neurological diseases,such as stroke,Parkinson’s disease,and mental disorders.Although significant advances have been made in neuromodulation technologies,the identification of optimal neurostimulation paramete rs including the co rtical target,duration,and inhibition or excitation pattern is still limited due to the lack of guidance for neural circuits.Moreove r,the neural mechanism unde rlying neuromodulation for improved behavioral performance remains poorly understood.Recently,advancements in neuroimaging have provided insight into neuromodulation techniques.Functional near-infrared spectroscopy,as a novel non-invasive optical brain imaging method,can detect brain activity by measuring cerebral hemodynamics with the advantages of portability,high motion tole rance,and anti-electromagnetic interference.Coupling functional near-infra red spectroscopy with neuromodulation technologies offe rs an opportunity to monitor the cortical response,provide realtime feedbac k,and establish a closed-loop strategy integrating evaluation,feedbac k,and intervention for neurostimulation,which provides a theoretical basis for development of individualized precise neuro rehabilitation.We aimed to summarize the advantages of functional near-infra red spectroscopy and provide an ove rview of the current research on functional near-infrared spectroscopy in transcranial magnetic stimulation,transcranial electrical stimulation,neurofeedback,and braincomputer interfaces.Furthermore,the future perspectives and directions for the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in neuromodulation are summarized.In conclusion,functional near-infrared spectroscopy combined with neuromodulation may promote the optimization of central pellral reorganization to achieve better functional recovery form central nervous system diseases.

DeepSVDNet:A Deep Learning-Based Approach for Detecting and Classifying Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy in Retinal Fundus Images

Artificial Intelligence(AI)is being increasingly used for diagnosing Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy(VTDR),which is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide.However,previous automated VTDR detection methods have mainly relied on manual feature extraction and classification,leading to errors.This paper proposes a novel VTDR detection and classification model that combines different models through majority voting.Our proposed methodology involves preprocessing,data augmentation,feature extraction,and classification stages.We use a hybrid convolutional neural network-singular value decomposition(CNN-SVD)model for feature extraction and selection and an improved SVM-RBF with a Decision Tree(DT)and K-Nearest Neighbor(KNN)for classification.We tested our model on the IDRiD dataset and achieved an accuracy of 98.06%,a sensitivity of 83.67%,and a specificity of 100%for DR detection and evaluation tests,respectively.Our proposed approach outperforms baseline techniques and provides a more robust and accurate method for VTDR detection.

Road Traffic Monitoring from Aerial Images Using Template Matching and Invariant Features

Road traffic monitoring is an imperative topic widely discussed among researchers.Systems used to monitor traffic frequently rely on cameras mounted on bridges or roadsides.However,aerial images provide the flexibility to use mobile platforms to detect the location and motion of the vehicle over a larger area.To this end,different models have shown the ability to recognize and track vehicles.However,these methods are not mature enough to produce accurate results in complex road scenes.Therefore,this paper presents an algorithm that combines state-of-the-art techniques for identifying and tracking vehicles in conjunction with image bursts.The extracted frames were converted to grayscale,followed by the application of a georeferencing algorithm to embed coordinate information into the images.The masking technique eliminated irrelevant data and reduced the computational cost of the overall monitoring system.Next,Sobel edge detection combined with Canny edge detection and Hough line transform has been applied for noise reduction.After preprocessing,the blob detection algorithm helped detect the vehicles.Vehicles of varying sizes have been detected by implementing a dynamic thresholding scheme.Detection was done on the first image of every burst.Then,to track vehicles,the model of each vehicle was made to find its matches in the succeeding images using the template matching algorithm.To further improve the tracking accuracy by incorporating motion information,Scale Invariant Feature Transform(SIFT)features have been used to find the best possible match among multiple matches.An accuracy rate of 87%for detection and 80%accuracy for tracking in the A1 Motorway Netherland dataset has been achieved.For the Vehicle Aerial Imaging from Drone(VAID)dataset,an accuracy rate of 86%for detection and 78%accuracy for tracking has been achieved.

ZnSb/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene van der Waals heterojunction for flexible near-infrared photodetector arrays

Two-dimension(2D)van der Waals heterojunction holds essential promise in achieving high-performance flexible near-infrared(NIR)photodetector.Here,we report the successful fabrication of ZnSb/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene based flexible NIR photodetector array via a facile photolithography technology.The single ZnSb/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)photodetector exhibited a high light-to-dark current ratio of 4.98,fast response/recovery time(2.5/1.3 s)and excellent stability due to the tight connection between 2D ZnSb nanoplates and 2D Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene nanoflakes,and the formed 2D van der Waals heterojunction.Thin polyethylene terephthalate(PET)substrate enables the ZnSb/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)photodetector withstand bending such that stable photoelectrical properties with non-obvious change were maintained over 5000 bending cycles.Moreover,the ZnSb/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)photodetectors were integrated into a 26×5 device array,realizing a NIR image sensing application.

Automated Algorithms for Detecting and Classifying X-Ray Images of Spine Fractures

This paper emphasizes a faster digital processing time while presenting an accurate method for identifying spinefractures in X-ray pictures. The study focuses on efficiency by utilizing many methods that include picturesegmentation, feature reduction, and image classification. Two important elements are investigated to reducethe classification time: Using feature reduction software and leveraging the capabilities of sophisticated digitalprocessing hardware. The researchers use different algorithms for picture enhancement, including theWiener andKalman filters, and they look into two background correction techniques. The article presents a technique forextracting textural features and evaluates three picture segmentation algorithms and three fractured spine detectionalgorithms using transformdomain, PowerDensity Spectrum(PDS), andHigher-Order Statistics (HOS) for featureextraction.With an emphasis on reducing digital processing time, this all-encompassing method helps to create asimplified system for classifying fractured spine fractures. A feature reduction program code has been built toimprove the processing speed for picture classification. Overall, the proposed approach shows great potential forsignificantly reducing classification time in clinical settings where time is critical. In comparison to other transformdomains, the texture features’ discrete cosine transform (DCT) yielded an exceptional classification rate, and theprocess of extracting features from the transform domain took less time. More capable hardware can also result inquicker execution times for the feature extraction algorithms.

Improving the Transmission Security of Vein Images Using a Bezier Curve and Long Short-Term Memory

The act of transmitting photos via the Internet has become a routine and significant activity.Enhancing the security measures to safeguard these images from counterfeiting and modifications is a critical domain that can still be further enhanced.This study presents a system that employs a range of approaches and algorithms to ensure the security of transmitted venous images.The main goal of this work is to create a very effective system for compressing individual biometrics in order to improve the overall accuracy and security of digital photographs by means of image compression.This paper introduces a content-based image authentication mechanism that is suitable for usage across an untrusted network and resistant to data loss during transmission.By employing scale attributes and a key-dependent parametric Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM),it is feasible to improve the resilience of digital signatures against image deterioration and strengthen their security against malicious actions.Furthermore,the successful implementation of transmitting biometric data in a compressed format over a wireless network has been accomplished.For applications involving the transmission and sharing of images across a network.The suggested technique utilizes the scalability of a structural digital signature to attain a satisfactory equilibrium between security and picture transfer.An effective adaptive compression strategy was created to lengthen the overall lifetime of the network by sharing the processing of responsibilities.This scheme ensures a large reduction in computational and energy requirements while minimizing image quality loss.This approach employs multi-scale characteristics to improve the resistance of signatures against image deterioration.The proposed system attained a Gaussian noise value of 98%and a rotation accuracy surpassing 99%.

Marine Predators Algorithm with Deep Learning-Based Leukemia Cancer Classification on Medical Images

In blood or bone marrow,leukemia is a form of cancer.A person with leukemia has an expansion of white blood cells(WBCs).It primarily affects children and rarely affects adults.Treatment depends on the type of leukemia and the extent to which cancer has established throughout the body.Identifying leukemia in the initial stage is vital to providing timely patient care.Medical image-analysis-related approaches grant safer,quicker,and less costly solutions while ignoring the difficulties of these invasive processes.It can be simple to generalize Computer vision(CV)-based and image-processing techniques and eradicate human error.Many researchers have implemented computer-aided diagnosticmethods andmachine learning(ML)for laboratory image analysis,hopefully overcoming the limitations of late leukemia detection and determining its subgroups.This study establishes a Marine Predators Algorithm with Deep Learning Leukemia Cancer Classification(MPADL-LCC)algorithm onMedical Images.The projectedMPADL-LCC system uses a bilateral filtering(BF)technique to pre-process medical images.The MPADL-LCC system uses Faster SqueezeNet withMarine Predators Algorithm(MPA)as a hyperparameter optimizer for feature extraction.Lastly,the denoising autoencoder(DAE)methodology can be executed to accurately detect and classify leukemia cancer.The hyperparameter tuning process using MPA helps enhance leukemia cancer classification performance.Simulation results are compared with other recent approaches concerning various measurements and the MPADL-LCC algorithm exhibits the best results over other recent approaches.

A generalized deep neural network approach for improving resolution of fluorescence microscopy images

Deep learning is capable of greatly promoting the progress of super-resolution imaging technology in terms of imaging and reconstruction speed,imaging resolution,and imagingflux.This paper proposes a deep neural network based on a generative adversarial network(GAN).The generator employs a U-Net-based network,which integrates Dense Net for the downsampling component.The proposed method has excellent properties,for example,the network model is trained with several different datasets of biological structures;the trained model can improve the imaging resolution of different microscopy imaging modalities such as confocal imaging and wide-field imaging;and the model demonstrates a generalized ability to improve the resolution of different biological structures even out of the datasets.In addition,experimental results showed that the method improved the resolution of caveolin-coated pits(CCPs)structures from 264 nm to 138 nm,a 1.91-fold increase,and nearly doubled the resolution of DNA molecules imaged while being transported through microfluidic channels.

A Preliminary Comparative Study on the Centering Algorithms for CassiniISS NAC Images

Obtaining high precision is an important consideration for astrometric studies using images from the Narrow Angle Camera(NAC)of the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem(ISS).Selecting the best centering algorithm is key to enhancing astrometric accuracy.In this study,we compared the accuracy of five centering algorithms:Gaussian fitting,the modified moments method,and three point-spread function(PSF)fitting methods(effective PSF(ePSF),PSFEx,and extended PSF(x PSF)from the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations(CICLOPS)).We assessed these algorithms using 70 ISS NAC star field images taken with CL1 and CL2 filters across different stellar magnitudes.The ePSF method consistently demonstrated the highest accuracy,achieving precision below 0.03 pixels for stars of magnitude 8-9.Compared to the previously considered best,the modified moments method,the e PSF method improved overall accuracy by about 10%and 21%in the sample and line directions,respectively.Surprisingly,the xPSF model provided by CICLOPS had lower precision than the ePSF.Conversely,the ePSF exhibits an improvement in measurement precision of 23%and 17%in the sample and line directions,respectively,over the xPSF.This discrepancy might be attributed to the xPSF focusing on photometry rather than astrometry.These findings highlight the necessity of constructing PSF models specifically tailored for astrometric purposes in NAC images and provide guidance for enhancing astrometric measurements using these ISS NAC images.

Spatial sensitivity to absorption changes for various near-infrared spectroscopy methods:A compendium review

This compendium review focuses on the spatial distribution of sensitivity to localized absorption changes in optically diffuse media,particularly for measurements relevant to near-infrared spectroscopy.The three temporal domains,continuous wave,frequency domain,and time domain,each obtain different optical data types whose changes may be related to effective homogeneous changes in the absorption coefficient.Sensitivity is the relationship between a localized perturbation and the recovered effective homogeneous absorption change.Therefore,spatial sensitivity maps representing the perturbation location can be generated for the numerous optical data types in the three temporal domains.The review first presents a history of the past 30 years of work investigating this sensitivity in optically diffuse media.These works are experimental and theoretical,presenting one-,two-,and three-dimensional sensitivity maps for different Near-Infrared Spectroscopy methods,domains,and data types.Following this history,we present a compendium of sensitivity maps organized by temporal domain and then data type.This compendium provides a valuable tool to compare the spatial sensitivity of various measurement methods and parameters in one document.Methods for one to generate these maps are provided in Appendix A,including the code.This historical review and comprehensive sensitivity map compendium provides a single source researchers may use to visualize,investigate,compare,and generate sensitivity to localized absorption change maps.

A Degradation Type Adaptive and Deep CNN-Based Image Classification Model for Degraded Images

Deep Convolutional Neural Networks(CNNs)have achieved high accuracy in image classification tasks,however,most existing models are trained on high-quality images that are not subject to image degradation.In practice,images are often affected by various types of degradation which can significantly impact the performance of CNNs.In this work,we investigate the influence of image degradation on three typical image classification CNNs and propose a Degradation Type Adaptive Image Classification Model(DTA-ICM)to improve the existing CNNs’classification accuracy on degraded images.The proposed DTA-ICM comprises two key components:a Degradation Type Predictor(DTP)and a Degradation Type Specified Image Classifier(DTS-IC)set,which is trained on existing CNNs for specified types of degradation.The DTP predicts the degradation type of a test image,and the corresponding DTS-IC is then selected to classify the image.We evaluate the performance of both the proposed DTP and the DTA-ICMon the Caltech 101 database.The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed DTP achieves an average accuracy of 99.70%.Moreover,the proposed DTA-ICM,based on AlexNet,VGG19,and ResNet152,exhibits an average accuracy improvement of 20.63%,18.22%,and 12.9%,respectively,compared with the original CNNs in classifying degraded images.It suggests that the proposed DTA-ICM can effectively improve the classification performance of existing CNNs on degraded images,which has important practical implications.

Design of a novel hybrid quantum deep neural network in INEQR images classification

We redesign the parameterized quantum circuit in the quantum deep neural network, construct a three-layer structure as the hidden layer, and then use classical optimization algorithms to train the parameterized quantum circuit, thereby propose a novel hybrid quantum deep neural network(HQDNN) used for image classification. After bilinear interpolation reduces the original image to a suitable size, an improved novel enhanced quantum representation(INEQR) is used to encode it into quantum states as the input of the HQDNN. Multi-layer parameterized quantum circuits are used as the main structure to implement feature extraction and classification. The output results of parameterized quantum circuits are converted into classical data through quantum measurements and then optimized on a classical computer. To verify the performance of the HQDNN, we conduct binary classification and three classification experiments on the MNIST(Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology) data set. In the first binary classification, the accuracy of 0 and 4 exceeds98%. Then we compare the performance of three classification with other algorithms, the results on two datasets show that the classification accuracy is higher than that of quantum deep neural network and general quantum convolutional neural network.