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.

Cortical activity in patients with high-functioning ischemic stroke during the Purdue Pegboard Test:insights into bimanual coordinated fine motor skills with functional near-infrared spectroscopy

After stroke,even high-functioning individuals may experience compromised bimanual coordination and fine motor dexterity,leading to reduced functional independence.Bilateral arm training has been proposed as a promising intervention to address these deficits.However,the neural basis of the impairment of functional fine motor skills and their relationship to bimanual coordination performance in stroke patients remains unclear,limiting the development of more targeted interventions.To address this gap,our study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate cortical responses in patients after stroke as they perform functional tasks that engage fine motor control and coordination.Twenty-four high-functioning patients with ischemic stroke(7 women,17 men;mean age 64.75±10.84 years)participated in this cross-sectional observational study and completed four subtasks from the Purdue Pegboard Test,which measures unimanual and bimanual finger and hand dexterity.We found significant bilateral activation of the sensorimotor cortices during all Purdue Pegboard Test subtasks,with bimanual tasks inducing higher cortical activation than the assembly subtask.Importantly,patients with better bimanual coordination exhibited lower cortical activation during the other three Purdue Pegboard Test subtasks.Notably,the observed neural response patterns varied depending on the specific subtask.In the unaffected hand task,the differences were primarily observed in the ipsilesional hemisphere.In contrast,the bilateral sensorimotor cortices and the contralesional hemisphere played a more prominent role in the bimanual task and assembly task,respectively.While significant correlations were found between cortical activation and unimanual tasks,no significant correlations were observed with bimanual tasks.This study provides insights into the neural basis of bimanual coordination and fine motor skills in high-functioning patients after stroke,highlighting task-dependent neural responses.The findings also suggest that patients who exhibit better bimanual performance demonstrate more efficient cortical activation.Therefore,incorporating bilateral arm training in post-stroke rehabilitation is important for better outcomes.The combination of functional near-infrared spectroscopy with functional motor paradigms is valuable for assessing skills and developing targeted interventions in stroke rehabilitation.

Near-infrared cholangiography with intragallbladder indocyanine green injection in minimally invasive cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)remains one of the most commonly performed procedures in adult and paediatric populations.Despite the advances made in intraoperative biliary anatomy recognition,iatrogenic bile duct injuries during LC represent a fatal complication and consist an economic burden for healthcare systems.A series of methods have been proposed to prevent bile duct injury,among them the use of indocyanine green(ICG)fluorescence.The most commonly reported method of ICG injection is the intravenous administration,while literature is lacking studies investigating the direct intragallbladder ICG injection.This narrative mini-review aims to assess the potential applications,usefulness,and limitations of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence in LC.Authors screened the available international literature to identify the reports of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence imaging in minimally invasive cholecystectomy,as well as special issues regarding its use.Literature search retrieved four prospective cohort studies,three case-control studies,and one case report.In the three case-control studies selected,intragallbladder near-infrared cholangiography(NIRC)was compared with standard LC under white light,with intravenous administration of ICG for NIRC and with standard intraoperative cholangiography(IOC).In total,133 patients reported in the literature have been administered intragallbladder ICG administration for biliary mapping during LC.Literature includes several reports of intragallbladder ICG administration,but a standardized technique has not been established yet.Published data suggest that NIRC with intragallbladder ICG injection is a promising method to achieve biliary mapping,overwhelming limitations of IOC including intervention and radiation exposure,as well as the high hepatic parenchyma signal and time interval needed in intravenous ICG fluorescence.Evidence-based guidelines on the role of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence in LC require the assessment of further studies and multicenter data collection into large registries.

Near-infrared light-driven multifunctional metal ion(Cu^(2+))-loaded polydopamine nanomotors for therapeutic angiogenesis in critical limb ischemia

Most of the current nanomedicine-based treatments for critical limb ischemia(CLI)only aim at promoting angiogenesis,ignoring the negative influence on the therapeutic effects caused by the complex pathological micro-environment of ischemic tissue.Herein,near-infrared(NIR)light-driven metal ion(Cu^(2+))-loaded polydopamine(PDA)nanomotors(JMPN@Cu^(2+))is designed and prepared.Due to the good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of PDA,JMPN@Cu^(2+)exhibits excellent biocompatibility and significantly improves the ischemic micro-environment.Additionally,based on superior photothermal conversion effect and jellyfish-like structure,the nanomotors are quickly propelled under NIR laser with low energy intensity to acquire the ability of movement and facilitate intracellular uptake of JMPN@Cu^(2+)by endothelial cells,resulting in the enhanced pro-angiogenic effect of Cu^(2+).Moreover,in vivo experimental findings show that JMPN@Cu^(2+)combined with NIR irradiation can successfully accelerate blood flow recovery and improve muscle repair.Taking these results together,this kind of nanomotor can promote angiogenesis along with ischemic micro-environment amelioration,holding great potential applications for the treatment of limb ischemia.

Synchronous measurements of prefrontal activity and pulse rate variability during online video game playing with functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Interactions between the central nervous system(CNS)and autonomic nervous system(ANS)play a crucial role in modulating perception,cognition,and emotion production.Previous studies on CNS–ANS interactions,or heart–brain coupling,have often used heart rate variability(HRV)metrics derived from electrocardiography(ECG)recordings as empirical measurements of sympathetic and parasympathetic activities.Functional near-infrared spectroscopy(fNIRS)is a functional brain imaging modality that is increasingly used in brain and cognition studies.The fNIRS signals contain frequency bands representing both neural activity oscillations and heartbeat rhythms.Therefore,fNIRS data acquired in neuroimaging studies can potentially provide a single-modality approach to measure task-induced responses in the brain and ANS synchronously,allowing analysis of CNS–ANS interactions.In this proof-of-concept study,fNIRS was used to record hemodynamic changes from the foreheads of 20 university students as they each played a round of multiplayer online battle arena(MOBA)game.From the fNIRS recordings,neural and heartbeat frequency bands were extracted to assess prefrontal activities and shortterm pulse rate variability(PRV),an approximation for short-term HRV,respectively.Under the experimental conditions used,fNIRS-derived PRV metrics showed good correlations with ECG-derived HRV golden standards,in terms of absolute measurements and video game playing(VGP)-related changes.It was also observed that,similar to previous studies on physical activity and exercise,the PRV metrics closely related to parasympathetic activities recovered slower than the PRV indicators of sympathetic activities after VGP.It is concluded that it is feasible to use fNIRS to monitor concurrent brain and ANS activations during online VGP,facilitating the understanding of VGP-related heart–brain coupling.

Near-infrared light-driven Janus capsule motors： Fabrication, propulsion, and simulation

We report a fuel-free, near-infrared （NIR）-driven Janus microcapsule motor. The Janus microcapsule motors were fabricated by template-assisted polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer assembly, followed by spraying of a gold layer on one side. The NIR-powered Janus motors achieved high propulsion with a maximum speed of 42μm.s-1 in water. The propulsion mechanism of the Janus motor was attributed to the self-thermophoresis effect： The asymmetric distribution of the gold layer generated a local thermal gradient, which in turn generated thermophoretic force to propel the Janus motor. Such NIR-propelled Janus capsule motors can move efficiently in cell culture medium and have no obvious effects on the cell at the power of the NIR laser, indicating considerable promise for future biomedical applications.

Deep-red and near-infrared organic lasers based on centrosymmetric molecules with excited-state intramolecular double proton transfer activity

Organic lasers that emit light in the deep-red and near-infrared(NIR)region are of essential importance in laser communication,night vision,bioimaging,and information-secured displays but are still challenging because of the lack of proper gain materials.Herein,a new molecular design strategy that operates by merging two excited-state intramolecular proton transfer-active molecules into one excited-state double proton transfer(ESDPT)-active molecule was demonstrated.Based on this new strategy,three new materials were designed and synthesized with two groups of intramolecular resonance-assisted hydrogen bonds,in which the ESDPT process was proven to proceed smoothly based on theoretical calculations and experimental results of steady-state and transient spectra.Benefiting from the effective six-level system constructed by the ESDPT process,all newly designed materials showed low threshold laser emissions at approximately 720 nm when doped in PS microspheres,which in turn proved the existence of the second proton transfer process.More importantly,our well-developed NIR organic lasers showed high laser stability,which can maintain high laser intensity after 12000 pulse lasing,which is essential in practical applications.This work provides a simple and effective method for the development of NIR organic gain materials and demonstrates the ESDPT mechanism for NIR lasing.

High efficiency and high transmission asymmetric polarization converter with chiral metasurface in visible and near-infrared region

Polarization manipulation of light is of great importance because it could promote development of wireless communications,biosensing,and polarization imaging.In order to use natural light more efficiently,it is highly demanded to design and fabricate high performance asymmetric polarization converters which could covert the natural light to one particular linearly polarized light with high efficiency.Traditionally,polarizers could be achieved by controllers with crystals and polymers exhibiting birefringence.However,the polarizers are bulky in size and the theoretical conversion efficiency of the polarizers is limited to 0.5 with unpolarized light incidence.In this paper,we propose a polarization converter which could preserve high transmission for one linearly polarized light and convert the orthogonal linearly polarized light to its cross-polarized with high transmittance based on a multi-layer chiral metasurface.Theoretical results show that normally incident y-polarized light preserves high transmittance for the wavelength range from 685 nm to 800 nm while the orthogonal normally incident x-polarized light is efficiently converted to the y-polarized light with high transmittance from 725 nm to 748 nm.Accordingly,for unpolarized light incidence,transmittance larger than 0.5 has been successfully achieved in a broadband wavelength range from 712 nm to 773 nm with a maximum transmittance of 0.58 at 732 nm.

Superiority of indocyanine green-enhanced near-infrared fluorescence-guided imaging for laparoscopic lymph node dissection in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer: A retrospective cohort study

Objective:Laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection(LPND),which is an effective therapy for endometrial cancer,is challenging because of the complexity of the procedure and the occurrence of postoperative complications.This study aimed to explore whether indocyanine green(ICG)-enhanced nearinfrared(NIR)fluorescence-guided LPND is superior to LPND in the context of early-stage endometrial carcinoma.Methods:In this retrospective study,we included the medical records of 190 patients with early-stage endometrioid adenocarcinoma who underwent LPND at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital,Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2019 and January 2021.Depending on whether ICG-enhanced NIR fluorescence guidance was used,the patients were assigned to the ICG group or non-ICG group.Patients were followed-up for one year after surgery.Data on demographic characteristics,pathological results,operative outcomes,and complications were collected and analyzed.Results:The baseline characteristics were comparable between the ICG group and non-ICG group,including age,BMI,pregnancy history,and preoperative hemoglobin.For surgical outcomes,the patients in ICG group had significantly lower intraoperative blood loss(50 mL vs.120 mL,p<0.001),less postoperative pelvic drainage time(4.14±1.44 d vs.5.70±1.89 d,p¼0.001),shorter duration of hospital stay(5.26±1.41 d vs.7.37±1.85 d,p¼0.003),higher number of positive pelvic lymph nodes(PLNs)(1 vs.0,p¼0.003),and more PLN-positive cases(16.0%vs.3.6%,p¼0.003)than the patients in non-ICG group.However,no significant differences were noted in blood transfusion requirement,operative time,hemoglobin level decreases,number of PLNs harvested,or the presence of lymphocysts between the two groups.Conclusion:Our study showed that ICG-enhanced NIR fluorescence-guided operation may improve the accuracy and safety of LPND.

Near-infrared spectroscopy method for rapid proximate quantitative analysis of nutrient composition in Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

Glycogen,amino acids,fatty acids,and other nutrient components affect the flavor and nutritional quality of oysters.Methods based on near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy(NIRS)were developed to rapidly and proximately determine the nutrient content of the Pacific oyster Crassostreagigas.Samples of C.gigas from 19 costal sites were freeze-dried,ground,and scanned for spectral data collection using a Fourier transform NIR spectrometer(Thermo Fisher Scientific).NIRS models of glycogen and other nutrients were established using partial least squares,multiplication scattering correction first-order derivation,and Norris smoothing.The R_(C) values of the glycogen,fatty acids,amino acids,and taurine NIRS models were 0.9678,0.9312,0.9132,and 0.8928,respectively,and the residual prediction deviation(RPD)values of these components were 3.15,2.16,3.11,and 1.59,respectively,indicating a high correlation between the predicted and observed values,and that the models can be used in practice.The models were used to evaluate the nutrient compositions of 1278 oyster samples.Glycogen content was found to be positively correlated with fatty acids and negatively correlated with amino acids.The glycogen,amino acid,and taurine levels of C.gigas cultured in the subtidal and intertidal zones were also significantly different.This study suggests that C.gigas NIRS models can be a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods for the rapid and proximate analysis of various slaughter traits and may also contribute to future genetic and breeding-related studies in Pacific oysters.

Near-infrared leaf reflectance modeling of Annona emarginata seedlings for early detection of variations in nitrogen concentration

Nitrogen(N)monitoring is essential in nurseries to ensure the production of high-quality seedlings.Nearinfrared spectroscopy(NIRS)is an instantaneous,nondestructive method to monitor N.Spectral data such as NIRS can also provide the basis for developing a new vegetation spectral index(VSI).Here,we evaluated whether NIRS combined with statistical modeling can accurately detect early variations in N concentration in leaves of young plants of Annona emargiaata and developed a new VSI for this task.Plants were grown in a hydroponics system with 0,2.75,5.5or 11 mM N for 45 days.Then we measured gas exchange,chlorophylla fluorescence,and pigments in leaves;analyzed complete leaf nutrients,and recorded spectral data for leaves at 966 to 1685 nm using NIRS.With a statistical learning approach,the dimensionality of the spectral data was reduced,then models were generated using two classes(N deficiency,N)or four classes(0,2.75,5.5,11 mM N).The best combination of techniques for dimensionality reduction and classification,respectively,was stepwise regression(PROC STEPDISC)and linear discriminant function.It was possible to detect N deficiency in seedlings leaves with 100%precision,and the four N concentrations with93.55%accuracy before photosynthetic damage to the plant occurred.Thereby,NIRS combined with statistical modeling of multidimensional data is effective for detecting N variations in seedlings leaves of A.emarginata.

Photoprotective Ability of Sunscreens against Ultraviolet, Visible Light and Near-Infrared Radiation

Despite the widespread prevalence of daily sunscreen usage, solar-induced skin damage continues to occur. We have previously reported that solar visible light and near-infrared, in addition to ultraviolet radiation, perform as aging factors and induce deleterious effects such as photoaging, vasodilation, muscle thinning, skin ptosis, photoimmunosupression and photocarcinogenesis. Despite this, most commonly used sunscreens only block ultraviolet radiation. To evaluate the complete solar-spectrum blocking ability of sunscreens produced by internationally well-known companies, a double-beam spectrophotometer was used to optically measure the transmission spectra. The spectrophotometer utilizes a unique, single monochromatic design covering a wavelength range of 240 to 2600 nm. Sunscreens (thickness, 0.1 mm, SPF50+, PA+++ or ++++) from internationally well-known companies blocked 78.8% - 99.9% of ultraviolet, 33.4% - 99.6% of visible light, and 27.0% - 76.4% of near-infrared. It can be concluded that while most commercially available sunscreens filter ultraviolet radiation, they are not effective at blocking visible light and near-infrared radiation. The results of this study imply that sunscreens that provide comprehensive photoprotection from ultraviolet through to near-infrared should be considered to prevent skin photodamage.

Novel Low Viscosity Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides and Erioglaucine Sunscreen Potential to Protect from Ultraviolet, Visible Light and Near-Infrared Radiation

Despite the widespread recommendation and use of sunscreens and ultraviolet blocking materials, solar-induced skin damage and photoageing continues to pose a problem to human health worldwide. We have previously reported that solar visible light and near-infrared also contribute to skin damage and photo ageing. Most commonly recommended sunscreens are only effective throughout the UV spectrum, offering no protection from visible light and near-infrared. A possible solution could be to augment sunscreens with metal oxides which block visible light and near-infrared radiation. To evaluate the enhanced solar-spectrum blocking ability of novel low viscosity sunscreen containing zinc and iron oxides, a double-beam spectrophotometer was used to optically measure the transmission spectra. The spectrophotometer deploys a unique, single monochromatic design to detect wavelength penetration in the range of 240 to 2600 nm. The Sunscreen base without zinc oxide and iron oxides (control) blocked over 80% of ultraviolet-C and ultraviolet-B but did not block ultraviolet-A, visible light, or near-infrared. The novel low viscosity zinc oxide sample blocked almost over 90% ultraviolet, but did not block visible light and near-infrared sufficiently. However, the samples with the novel low viscosity zinc oxide, iron oxides and erioglaucine blocked almost over 90% of ultraviolet, visible light and near-infrared. It can be concluded that this novel combination of low viscosity zinc oxide, iron oxides and erioglaucine is effective at blocking ultraviolet, visible light and near-infrared radiation. The results of this study imply that sunscreens that provide comprehensive photoprotection from ultraviolet through to near-infrared should be adopted to prevent skin photodamage.

Photoprotective Ability of Colored Iron Oxides in Tinted Sunscreens against Ultraviolet, Visible Light and Near-Infrared Radiation

Solar-induced skin damage continues to pose a problem to human health worldwide, despite the widespread recommendation and use of sunscreens. We have previously reported that solar visible light and near-infrared also contribute to skin damage and photoageing. Most commonly recommended sunscreens are only effective throughout the UV spectrum, offering no protection from visible light and near-infrared. To evaluate the enhanced solar-spectrum blocking ability of iron oxides, a double-beam spectrophotometer was used to optically measure the transmission spectra. The spectrophotometer deploys a unique, single monochromatic design to detect wavelength penetration in the range of 240 to 2600 nm. The sample without iron oxide (control) blocked over 80% of ultraviolet-C and ultraviolet-B but did not block ultraviolet-A, visible light, or near-infrared wavelengths. The samples with yellow, and red iron oxide blocked over 90% ultraviolet, but did not block visible light and near-infrared effectively. The sample with black iron oxide blocked visible light, and near-infrared effectively compared with other samples with yellow, blue, and red iron oxide. The sample with red and black iron oxides, and the sample with yellow, blue, red, and black iron oxides blocked ultraviolet through to near-infrared. It can be concluded that dark colored iron oxide combinations are effective at blocking from ultraviolet through to visible light and near-infrared radiation. The results of this study may also suggest that biological colour of human skin and subcutaneous tissues are conserved for comprehensive photoprotection.

Single-Crystalline In Ga As Nanowires for Room-Temperature High-Performance Near-Infrared Photodetectors

In Ga As is an important bandgap-variable ternary semiconductor which has wide applications in electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, single-crystal In Ga As nanowires were synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition method.Photoluminescence measurements indicate the In Ga As nanowires have strong light emission in near-infrared region. For the first time, photodetector based on as-grown In Ga As nanowires was also constructed. It shows good light response over a broad spectral range in infrared region with responsivity of 6.5×10~3 AW^(-1) and external quantum efficiency of 5.04×10~5%. This photodetector may have potential applications in integrated optoelectronic devices and systems.

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy of pancreatic cancer using an indocyanine green-labeled anti-tissue factor antibody

AIM To investigate near-infrared photoimmunotherapeutic effect mediated by an anti-tissue factor(TF) antibody conjugated to indocyanine green(ICG) in a pancreatic cancer model.METHODS Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy(NIR-PIT) is a highly selective tumor treatment that utilizes an antibody-photosensitizer conjugate administration, followed by NIR light exposure. Anti-TF antibody 1849-ICG conjugate was synthesized by labeling of rat IgG2 b anti-TF monoclonal antibody 1849(anti-TF 1849) to a NIR photosensitizer,ICG. The expression levels of TF in two human pancreatic cancer cell lines were examined by western blotting. Specific binding of the 1849-ICG to TF-expressing BxPC-3 cells was examined by fluorescence microscopy. NIR-PITinduced cell death was determined by cell viability imaging assay. In vivo longitudinal fluorescence imaging was used to explore the accumulation of 1849-ICG conjugate in xenograft tumors. To examine the effect of NIRPIT, tumor-bearing mice were separated into 5 groups:(1) 100 μg of 1849-ICG i.v. administration followed by NIR light exposure(50 J/cm2) on two consecutive days(Days 1 and 2);(2) NIR light exposure(50 J/cm2) only on two consecutive days(Days 1 and 2);(3) 100 μg of 1849-ICG i.v. administration;(4) 100 μg of unlabeled antiTF 1849 i.v. administration; and(5) the untreated control. Semiweekly tumor volume measurements, accompanied with histological and immunohistochemical(IHC) analyses of tumors, were performed 3 d after the 2nd irradiation with NIR light to monitor the effect of treatments. RESULTS High TF expression in BxPC-3 cells was observed via western blot analysis, concordant with the observed preferential binding with intracellular localization of 1849-ICG via fluorescence microscopy. NIR-PIT-induced cell death was observed by performing cell viability imaging assay. In contrast to the other test groups, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by NIR-PIT with a statistically significant difference in relative tumor volumes for 27 d after the treatment start date [2.83 ± 0.38(NIR-PIT) vs 5.42 ± 1.61(Untreated), vs 4.90 ± 0.87(NIR), vs 4.28 ±1.87(1849-ICG), vs 4.35 ± 1.42(anti-TF 1849), at Day 27, P < 0.05]. Tumors that received NIR-PIT showed evidence of necrotic cell death-associated features upon hematoxylin-eosin staining accompanied by a decrease in Ki-67-positive cells(a cell proliferation marker) by IHC examination.CONCLUSION The TF-targeted NIR-PIT with the 1849-ICG conjugate can potentially open a new platform for treatment of TF-expressing pancreatic cancer.

Simultaneous Determination of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) in Wastewater by Near-Infrared Spectrometry

To rapidly determine the pollution extent of wastewater, the calibration models were established for deter-mination of Chemical Oxygen Demand and Biological Oxygen Demand in wastewater by partial least squares and near infrared spectrometry of 120 samples. Spectral data preprocessing and outliers’ diagnosis were also discussed. Correlation coefficients of the models were 0.9542 and 0.9652, and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were 25.24 mg?L-1 and 12.13 mg?L-1 in the predicted range of 28.40~528.0 mg?L-1 and 16.0~305.2 mg?L-1 for Chemical Oxygen Demand and Biological Oxygen Demand, respectively. By statistical significance test, the results of determination were compared with those of stan-dard methods with no significant difference at 0.05 level. The method has been applied to simultaneous de-termination of Chemical Oxygen Demand and Biological Oxygen Demand in wastewater with satisfactory results.

A New Method for Blood NT-proBNP Determination Based on a Near-infrared Point of Care Testing Device with High Sensitivity and Wide Scope

Objective To develop a rapid, highly sensitive, and quantitative method for the detection of NT-proBNP levels based on a near-infrared point-of-care diagnostic （POCT） device with wide scope. Methods The lateral flow assay （LFA） strip of NT-proBNP was first prepared to achieve rapid detection. Then, the antibody pairs for NT-proBNP were screened and labeled with the near-infrared fluorescent dye Dylight-800. The capture antibody was fixed on a nitrocellulose membrane by a scribing device. Serial dilutions of serum samples were prepared using NT-proBNP-free serum series. The prepared test strips, combined with a near-infrared POCT device, were validated by known concentrations of clinical samples. The POCT device gave the output of the ratio of the intensity of the fluorescence signal of the detection line to that of the quality control line. The relationship between the ratio value and the concentration of the specimen was plotted as a work curve. The results of 62 clinical specimens obtained from our method were compared in parallel with those obtained from the Roche E411 kit. Results Based on the log-log plot, the new method demonstrated that there was a good linear relationship between the ratio value and NT-proBNP concentrations ranging from 20 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL. The results of the 62 clinical specimens measured by our method showed a good linear correlation with those measured by the Roche E411 kit. Conclusion The new LFA detection method of NT-proBNP levels based on the near-infrared POCT device was rapid and highly sensitive with wide scope and was thus suitable for rapid and early clinical diagnosis of cardiac impairment.

Near-infrared spectroscopy as a promising tool in stroke:Current applications and future perspectives

Stroke is caused by an acute focal disruption of the vasculature in the central nervous system.Neurological-related functional deficits are the most devastating consequences for stroke survi-vors.Neural signals from stroke patients can reflect the functional statuses of patients and provide insights into the neuronal recovery mechanism for functioning,which could be used as the basis for designing optimal treatment strategies.Near-infrared spectroscopy(NIRS)is a low-cost,noninvasive,easily operated neuroimage method and it is compatible with various rehabilitative programs.These advantages make NIRS an excellent candidate in research for stroke recovery.Here,we focused on the brain functions and recovery for stroke patients at stable status,conducted a systematic literature review about NIRS applications in stroke since 2000 and identified a total of 72 references through ScienceDirect and PubMed database retrieval.The NIRS studies in stroke include resting-state function and its recovery,motor function and itsrecovery,motor and cognition interference,cognitive function and its recovery,language function and its recovery,emotional function and its recovery and other applications.Based on the results of the quality assessment,we identified some study gaps from the previous research and provided suggestions for some methodological improvement in the future.The trend of NIRS gives a boost to its application in stroke,and the potential research directions for NIRS in stroke are pros-pected,including multi-center clinical research,treatment efficacy prediction research and brain-muscle coupling research.Finally,limitations of NIRS are discussed.

Evaluation of COC183B2 antibody targeting ovarian cancer by near-infrared fluorescence imaging

Objective: To evaluate the imaging potential of a novel near-infrared(NIR) probe conjugated to COC183 B2 monoclonal antibodies(MAb) in ovarian cancer(OC).Methods: The expression of OC183 B2 antigen in OC was determined by immunohistochemical(IHC) staining using tissue microarrays with the H-score system and immunofluorescence(IF) staining of tumor cell lines.Imaging probes with the NIR fluorescent dye cyanine 7(Cy7) conjugated to COC183 B2 Mab were chemically engineered. OC183 B2-positive human OC cells(SKOV3-Luc) were injected subcutaneously into BALB/c nude mice. Bioluminescent imaging(BLI) was performed to detect tumor location and growth. COC183 B2-Cy7 at 1.1,3.3, 10, or 30 μg were used for in vivo fluorescence imaging, and phosphate-buffered saline(PBS), free Cy7 dye and mouse isotype immunoglobulin G(IgG)-Cy7(delivered at the same doses as COC183 B2-Cy7) were used as controls.Results: The expression of OC183 B2 with a high H-score was more prevalent in OC tissue than fallopian tube(FT) tissue. Among 417 OC patients, the expression of OC183 B2 was significantly correlated with the histological subtype, histological grade, residual tumor size, relapse state and survival status. IF staining demonstrated that COC183 B2 specifically expressed in SKOV3 cells but not HeLa cells. In vivo NIR fluorescence imaging indicated that COC183 B2-Cy7 was mainly distributed in the xenograft and liver with optimal tumor-to-background(T/B)ratios in the xenograft at 30 μg dose. The highest fluorescent signals in the tumor were observed at 96 h postinjection(hpi). Ex vivo fluorescence imaging revealed the fluorescent signals mainly from the tumor and liver. IHC analysis confirmed that xenografts were OC183 B2 positive.Conclusions: COC183 B2 is a good candidate for NIR fluorescence imaging and imaging-guided surgery in OC.