Journal of Biophotonics最新文献

This study examines the effects of pulsed wave photobiomodulation (pwPBM) on the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP). Using 810 nm near-infrared (NIR) light with 300 Hz pulses and a 30% duty cycle, pwPBM was applied at a total energy density of 750 mJ/cm². Osteogenesis was evaluated through both in vitro and in vivo analyses. In vitro experiments demonstrated significant enhancement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, along with upregulation of key osteogenesis-related genes and proteins, as confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot analyses. In vivo, histological assessments following SCAP transplantation revealed increased bone tissue formation, further corroborated by osteocalcin staining. These findings underscore the potential of pwPBM as an innovative and effective tool for dental tissue regeneration and engineering.

Zerumbone is a sesquiterpene phytochemical with cytotoxic activity against cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of zerumbone on cell viability by WST-1 test, apoptosis by TUNEL, lipid peroxidation markers (malondialdehyde, MDA, and 4-hydroxynonenal, HNE) by using assay kits, and biomolecular changes by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in A549 cells. After zerumbone (0–100 μM) incubation for 24, 48, and 72 h, the number of TUNEL-positive cells was found to be higher in zerumbone-treated cells than in controls, in consistent with cell morphology results. MDA levels increased significantly, although HNE levels increased non-significantly in zerumbone-treated cells. Spectral analyses revealed that the zerumbone-treated groups had higher levels of total saturated and unsaturated lipids as well as comparatively shorter-chain lipids. On the contrary, reduced RNA/DNA ratio, total nucleic acid, and protein content were found in zerumbone-treated groups. Consequently, zerumbone-induced apoptosis was accompanied by increased aldehyde products during lipid peroxidation as well as biomolecular alterations.

Genetic information sensors play a pivotal role in the biomedical field. The detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is achieved experimentally using an optical microfiber interferometric sensor, which operates based on an ion-regulation sensitivity enhancement mechanism. The optical microfiber is fabricated by drawing optical fiber into a diameter of less than 10 μm via the melting and tapering technique. Leveraging the characteristics of monovalent cations can effectively promote the folding of G-rich single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) into stable G-quadruplex structures, enabling the detection of specific sequences of ssDNA at low concentrations. The results show an improvement of the linear detection range by 3 orders of magnitude, and with the introduction of the ion-regulation sensitivity enhancement mechanism, the limit of detection (LOD) value is 1.07 × 10⁻¹⁵ M. This optical microfiber interferometric sensing architecture is characterized by its simplicity and high sensitivity, positioning it as a formidable tool for diverse biosensing and analytical applications.

The article describes a technique for digital holographic reconstruction of complex amplitude fields in diffuse blood facies using laser polarization-interference phase scanning to isolate a single scattered component of the object field. This method serves as the basis for developing algorithms for Mueller-matrix reconstruction of linear and circular birefringence parameters in the polycrystalline architectonics of blood facies. Statistical (central moments of the 1st–4th orders) and multifractal analyses (fractal dimension spectra) are applied to study the optical anisotropy maps of polycrystalline networks during blood dehydration. The study explores a practical application in the differential diagnosis of blood loss volume, identifying higher-order central moments (skewness, kurtosis) as sensitive markers. The method achieved a maximum accuracy of 92.9% in differentiating blood loss volume.

The primary ocular effect of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR), which is associated with diabetic microangiopathy. Diabetic macular edema (DME) can cause vision loss for people with DR. For this reason, deciding on the appropriate treatment and follow-up has a critical role in terms of curing the disease. Current artificial intelligence (AI) approaches focus on OCT images and may ignore clinical, laboratory, and demographic information obtained by the specialist. This study presents a novel deep learning (DL) framework for evaluating the visual outcome of the TREX anti-VEGF intravitreal injection regimen. DL models are trained to extract deep features from OCT and ILM topographic images and the obtained deep features are combined with patients' demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings to predict the direction of the treatment process. When the ResNet-18 network is used, the proposed DL framework is able to predict the prognosis status of patients with the highest accuracy.

Lung cancer ranks among the three most prevalent cancers worldwide. Polarization imaging technology can effectively distinguish between cancerous and normal tissues. The most commonly applied method for cancer detection is the dual-rotating wave plate polarization imaging system (DWRPIS), which is cumbersome and prone to significant error due to 60 mechanical rotations. To address this, our experiment leveraged the stability of the Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder (LCVR) and, based on existing theoretical foundations for simplifying the use of LCVRs, designed a symmetric single-LCVR polarization imaging system (SSLPIS) for the first time to detect lung cancer images. The SSLPIS is easy to operate, completing the entire acquisition process in just 150 s, with effective Mueller matrix imaging and an overall accuracy rate of over 90%, offering a faster and more precise detection method. This new approach provides an innovative pathway for the rapid detection of lung cancer.

Local therapeutic action and targeted drug release are promising approaches compared to traditional systemic drug administration. This is especially relevant for nitric oxide (NO), as its effects change dramatically depending on concentration and cellular context. Materials capable of releasing NO in deep tissues in a controlled manner might open new therapeutic opportunities. Light-sensitive NO donors represent a fascinating class of compounds with significant potential for precise and controlled NO release. However, most of them are sensitive to visible light, with only a few examples absorbing in a near-infrared therapeutic window. Here, we present the proof-of-concept of soft implants consisting of the photon upconverting core and the outer shell loaded with visible-light triggered NO donor. The separation into two compartments results in efficient energy harvesting by the dye and effective NO release under 980 nm infrared irradiation. Such implants could be used in smart therapies implying well-controlled and localized NO release.