生物组织光声粘弹显微成像

提出一种反演生物组织粘弹信息的新型无损光声粘弹显微成像方法,它是以强度调制激光作为激发源,通过检测光声（Photoacoustic,PA）信号的相位重建组织粘弹特性分布的成像方法.实验利用不同浓度的琼脂样品来验证光声粘弹显微测量中相位随浓度变化的依赖关系.利用埋有头发丝的琼脂样品来测试这种显微方法的成像分辨率.利用具有不同粘弹性的离体生物组织来验证系统的成像能力.实验结果表明,这种新方法能够高分辨率和高对比度地重建出具有不同粘弹性的生物组织的光声粘弹显微图像,有望实现组织结晶类病变水平的显微在体检测.     

动脉粥样硬化易损斑块的核医学和磁共振分子影像学研究进展

动脉粥样硬化分子影像学通过使用具有敏感性和特异性影像对比的分子探针针对动脉粥样硬化斑块相关的特定分子进行分子成像.该方法会极大地提高对动脉粥样硬化病变特性的检测水平和增强对该病变特征,尤其对斑块的组成成份的识别能力.斑块的组成成份和斑块的破裂、斑块的易损性以及斑块破裂后导致的结果密切相关.因此了解斑块组成成份的在体无创性检测将对动脉粥样硬化病人的治疗和判断预后产生非常重要的临床应用价值.     

液晶空间光调制器在生物光学显微中的应用

利用液晶空间光调制器(LCSLM)对光学显微中的成像光进行实时的相位/振幅调制,不仅可以实现各种传统的生物样品相位显微,而且能够以更复杂的相位调制方式,如螺旋相位滤波,得到新的显微图像。该方式已经和荧光显微、光镊技术结合,丰富了生物显微技术。     

基于光谱编码的血管内光声组分成像

光声成像突破了传统的光学成像和超声成像在生物组织成像领域的困境,该技术基于光声(Photoacoustic,PA)效应,脉冲激光激励下的生物组织产生超声信号,超声信号被接收后,通过反投影算法将其携带的时间信息和强度信息转化为能够反映生物组织吸收结构和分布的可视化图像。基于不同生物组织的光吸收差异,当激发光强度均匀且稳定时,光声成像反映的就是该物质对于该波长光的吸收特性。本文中,我们基于导管式的血管内光声断层扫描平台结合多波长激发的光声成像算法开发了基于光谱编码的血管内光声组分成像系统,实现了在离体血管斑块中脂质组分的定量成像,高分辨获得了脂质核心的大小形态和边界信息,表征了斑块内的脂质相对含量。     

视网膜单细胞成像技术研究

建立了一台基于37单元变形镜、Shack-hartman波前像差传感器和12位科研级CCD相机的自适应光学视网膜相机。采用一个中心波长为679nm的超辐射二极管(SLD)作为相机的光源,通过将超辐射二极管和多模光纤耦合,显著减小了SLD光源的空间相干性,从而消除了散斑噪声对成像的影响。多模光纤的输出提供了一种高亮度、均匀照明的光源,使人眼视网膜单细胞成像的速度达到4．8幅／秒。     

红外相机监测目标物种的一种自动化检测方法：以绿尾虹雉为例

红外相机是目前在野生动物资源调查和监测中的一种重要手段和工具,但对其采集的海量影像数据的甄别和所拍获物种的鉴定工作费时费力。为解决红外相机影像数据量庞大、无法自动识别目标物种、人为检索繁琐、以及卷积神经网络方法的检测效率和鉴别正确率低等问题,本文对红外相机采集的11万余张图像进行筛选,以绿尾虹雉Lophophorus lhuysii为例,运用协同注意力机制,提出一种针对红外相机影像数据中目标物种的自动化检测方法。实验结果表明,该方法对绿尾虹雉图像与视频的识别准确度达到99.62%。本文提出的方法能够提高对检测目标物种的识别率,降低人力成本,有利于指导野生动物的监测和保护。     

基于单分子量子相干调制的细胞温度成像技术

目的 细胞温度成像可以帮助科学家研究和理解细胞内部的温度分布,揭示细胞代谢和生物化学过程的关键信息。目前,基于荧光温度探针的细胞温度成像技术存在低温度分辨率和有限测量范围等限制。本文旨在利用单分子量子相干过程依赖温度的特性,开发一种单细胞温度成像和实时检测技术。方法 基于飞秒脉冲激光制备延时和相位可调的飞秒脉冲对,调制的脉冲对通过显微系统激发细胞内标记的荧光单分子,之后收集并记录每个荧光光子的到达时间。利用单分子相干过程与周围环境温度的关系,定义单分子量子相干可视度（V）,建立V与环境温度的对应关系。通过调制解调荧光光子的到达时间,获取单分子周围环境温度,结合扫描成像,实现细胞的温度成像和实时检测。结果 该方法可以实现高精度（温度分辨率<0.1℃）和大范围温度（10～50℃）的温度成像和测量,并观测到了单个细胞代谢相关的温度变化。结论 该研究有助于深入了解细胞代谢、蛋白质功能和疾病机制,为生物医学研究提供重要工具。     

超高灵敏度荧光显微成像技术对光敏剂细胞内分布的初步研究

目的：探讨应用基于ICCD的超高灵敏度荧光显微成像系统研究光敏剂细胞内分布的可行性。方法：传代培养内皮细胞、食管癌细胞和肺癌细胞,将不同浓度血卟啉单甲醚(HMME)与细胞共同孵育不同时间。采用荧光显微镜及ICCD组成的荧光显微成像系统采集不同浓度及不同孵育时间条件下HMME的荧光图像,并采用计算机图像处理技术进行图像增强、滤波后计算其细胞浆与细胞核的平均荧光强度比值。同时应用激光共聚焦显微镜图像采集进行对比。结果：HMME浓度为5μg／ml时,荧光显微镜采集到HMME的荧光图像;HMME浓度升高到160μg／ml,激光共聚焦显微镜获得HMME的荧光图像。两组图像的特点都为胞浆中荧光强度较高,细胞核区荧光较弱;细胞浆与细胞核的比值约为2～3：1。结论：荧光显微镜和ICCD采集细胞内光敏剂的荧光图像灵敏度高,方法可靠、实用。HMME较多分布在细胞质中,细胞核吸收较少。     

野生动物多样性监测图像数据管理系统CameraData介绍

红外相机的应用获得了海量野生动物物种分布和行为的数据信息。然而,如何存贮和管理这些图像数据,并及时提供给研究者、管理决策部门和公众,已成为野生动物监测所面临的新问题。为此,中国科学院动物研究所组织研发了图像数据管理系统CameraData(http://cameradata.ioz.ac.cn)。这是一个开放的网络交互式平台,用于收集和管理通过红外相机所拍摄的野生动物图像数据,集成了野生动物图像数据规范存贮、标准化分析和共享功能。该系统的目标在于促进野生动物图像数据的快速分析和充分利用,为野生动物研究、保护和管理等提供服务。本文对其功能模块、主要构成和使用注意事项等进行了简要介绍。     

基于主成分分析的双对比光学投影断层成像

目的 本文提出了一种基于主成分分析（PCA）的双对比光学投影断层成像（DC-OPT）方法,以获得活体中血流网络和骨骼的三维可视化。方法 使用主成分分析方法来提取吸收图像和血流图像,原始图像序列的第一主成分用于获取吸收图像;通过计算每个像素的调制深度来获得流动图像。不同投影位置的流动和吸收对比图像被用于三维血流网络和骨骼的同步重建。结果 采用PCA和OPT相结合的方法,通过将动态血流信号和静态背景信号分离,实现了对微生物样本的血流网络和骨骼的三维成像。结论 本文研究的新颖之处在于通过同一光学系统获得了快速、同步、双对比的血流网络和骨骼三维图像。实验结果可用于活体生物的生理发育研究。     

液氮冻伤术建立动脉粥样硬化破裂斑块及血栓模型

目的创建一种操作简单、经济实用的动脉粥样硬化（AS）破裂斑块及血栓动物模型。方法21只雄性纯种新西兰白兔随机分为两组：液氮冻伤＋高脂喂养组（A组=11只）和高脂喂养组（B组=10只）。A组实施右颈总动脉内膜液氮冻伤术结合高脂饲料喂养,B组单纯给予高脂饲料喂养。8周末以液氮激发斑块破裂,激发前后分别采血检测血脂、hsC-RP、MMP-9及PAI-1水平;激发48h后处死所有动物,取出右颈总动脉作HE染色及免疫组化染色等,光镜及电镜观察破裂斑块及血栓形成情况。结果8周后兔血脂水平明显升高;激发后血浆hsC-RP、MMP-9及PAI-1均明显升高;所有A组兔子的右颈总动脉均可见AS破裂斑块及血栓形成,而B组兔子未见斑块或血栓形成;所建立的破裂斑块在组织结构、细胞构成、生长特征和脂质沉积方面与人类斑块相似。结论液氮冻伤术能简便、快速、高效地建立AS破裂斑块及血栓模型,从而为研究人类AS破裂斑块及血栓形成的机理和药物干预治疗提供了一种新型动物模型。     

Identification of cholesteryl esters in human carotid atherosclerosis by ex vivo image-guided proton MRS

Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques may be identified by their large lipid component, particularly liquid cholesteryl ester (CE), covered by a fibrous cap. We hypothesized that image-guided 1H proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) would identify mobile CE in discrete, preselected regions of atherosclerotic plaque. Human carotid endarterectomy specimens (n = 10) were imaged ex vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at high field (11.7 T) utilizing standard T1- and T2-weighted spin echo protocols. MRS spectra were acquired from 1 mm3 voxels, localized to plaque regions that we judged by MRI to be lipid rich or lipid poor. The spectra revealed methyl and methylene resonances of fatty acyl chains with relative intensities and linewidths characteristic of pure CE, by comparison with lipid standards. Regions judged to be lipid rich by MRI showed much more intense CE resonances than did lipid-poor regions. The integrated intensities of lipid peaks were 5.5 +/- 2.0% (lipid-rich regions) versus 0.9 +/- 0.6% (lipid-poor regions) of the unsuppressed water peak (P < 0.0001). Lipid distribution by histology, MRS, and MRI showed strong correlation. Image-guided proton MRS accurately identified CE in selected regions of atherosclerotic plaque as small as 1 mm3 in an ex vivo setting. This procedure may permit the noninvasive detection and quantification of CE in atherosclerotic plaque in vivo.     

Convolution Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines for Automatic Segmentation of Intracoronary Optical Coherence Tomography

Cardiovascular diseases are closely associated with deteriorating atherosclerotic plaques. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a recently developed intravascular imaging technique with high resolution approximately 10 microns and could provide accurate quantification of coronary plaque morphology. However, tissue segmentation of OCT images in clinic is still mainly performed manually by physicians which is time consuming and subjective. To overcome these limitations, two automatic segmentation methods for intracoronary OCT image based on support vector machine (SVM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) were performed to identify the plaque region and characterize plaque components. In vivo IVUS and OCT coronary plaque data from 5 patients were acquired at Emory University with patient’s consent obtained. Seventy-seven matched IVUS and OCT slices with good image quality and lipid cores were selected for this study. Manual OCT segmentation was performed by experts using virtual histology IVUS as guidance, and used as gold standard in the automatic segmentations. The overall classification accuracy based on CNN method achieved 95.8%, and the accuracy based on SVM was 71.9%. The CNN-based segmentation method can better characterize plaque compositions on OCT images and greatly reduce the time spent by doctors in segmenting and identifying plaques.     

脑梗死患者内脂素和基质金属蛋白酶-9与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块易损性的关系

目的：探讨血清内脂素（Visfatin）72．基质金属蛋白酶-9（MMP-9）水平与脑梗死患者颈动脉粥样硬化王囊￡块稳定性的关系和血清visfatin和MMP-9的相关性。方法：选择脑梗死患者70例,根据颈动脉粥样硬化斑块性质分为易损性斑块组（n=43）和非易损性斑块组（n=27）,选取健康体检者30例作为对照组。测定血清Visfatin和MMP-9水平,并对二者间关系进行相关分析。结果：脑梗死伴颈动脉硬化组血清Visfatin、MMP-9水平高于正常对照组（P〈0．01）;易损性斑块组血清Visfatin和MMP．9水平高于非易损性斑块组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．017）。外周血中的Visfatin水平与MMP-9呈正相关关系（r=0．643,P=0．000）。结论：在脑梗死患者中,血清Visfatin和MMP-9参与了颈动脉粥样硬化的病理生理过程,Visfatin和MMP-9升高可能与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块不稳定性的形成相关,Visfatin可通过调控MMP一9的分泌和活性从而改变斑块的易损性。     

1461名老年患者血压波动与颈动脉斑块形成关系的研究

目的：除了血压水平的高低以外,血压波动也是造成人体靶器官损伤的独立危险因素。本研究以老年男性人群为研究对象,观察血压波动（BPV）与颈动脉斑块形成的关联性。方法：本研究选用1461名患有动脉硬化的老年男性患者为研究对象,将入选对象分为：非颈动脉斑块组和颈动脉斑块组,根据24小时动态血压测定（ABPM）中收缩压（SBP）、舒张N（DBP）的数据,用”个体血压波动法”测定每个患者的血压波动,分析探讨血压波动与颈动脉斑块形成之间的关联性。结果：①颈动脉斑块的形成与24小时收缩期血压波动（SBPV）密切相关（8-3±2．1mmHgVS7．9士2．0mmHg;P〈0．001）,其中与白昼（6：00．22：00）SBPV有关（8．1±2．1mmHgVS7．7土2．1mmHg：P〈0．001）,而与夜间（22：00-6：00）SBPV关系不明显（8,9±3．8mmHgVS8,6±3．7mmHg;P〉0．05）。②与24小时舒张期血压波动（DBPV）有关（5．6±1．4mmHgVS5．4±1．4mmHg;P〈0．05）,其中与白昼（6：00．22：00）舒张期血压波动有关（5．4±1．4mmHgVS5．2士1．4mmHg;P〈0．05）,而与夜间舒张期血压波动无关（6．2±2．7mmHgVS5．9±2．5mmHg;P〉0．05）。结论：在老年男性人群中,颈动脉斑块的形成与收缩期和舒张期血压波动均有关系,主要表现在白昼血压波动。     

Elliptic delamination as an early stage in atherosclerotic plaque evolution: fluid mechanical aspects

Relatively little attention has been given to vessel wall mechanics in interaction with the pulsatile fluid motion of blood in the epicardial coronary arteries which are prone to atherosclerotic plaque development. Theories for lipid transport by convective effects, while appealing in many ways, do not serve to explain the predominantly bounded, elliptic profiles of atherosclerotic plaques when examined en face at gross autopsy. This paper outlines how structural-mechanical concepts relating to plaque shapes (starting from the shapes available even with isometric shell peeling to create the cavities typical of early plaques) can be combined with understanding of the blood pressure distribution which develops in the vicinity of a predominantly T-junction in a blood vessel to modulate and interact in shape formation by cyclic, local flexure. This provides a foundation for a rational hypothesis to be tested in vivo with bi-plane angiography and vessel wall imaging, e.g., intravascular ultrasound, to better assess the roles of solid and fluid mechanics in the localization of plaques.     

C-reactive protein exerts angiogenic effects on vascular endothelial cells and modulates associated signalling pathways and gene expression

Background  

Formation of haemorrhagic neovessels in the intima of developing atherosclerotic plaques is thought to significantly contribute to plaque instability resulting in thrombosis. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant whose expression in the vascular wall, in particular, in reactive plaque regions, and circulating levels increase in patients at high risk of cardiovascular events. Although CRP is known to induce a pro-inflammatory phenotype in endothelial cells (EC) a direct role on modulation of angiogenesis has not been established.     

Is Cadmium Exposure Associated with the Burden,Vulnerability and Rupture of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques?

The general population is exposed to cadmium from food and smoking. Cadmium is a widely spread toxic pollutant that seems to be associated with cardiovascular diseases, although little is known if it contributes to the occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques and the process whereby plaques become vulnerable and are prone to rupture. We tested the hypotheses that cadmium exposure is associated not only with an increased subclinical burden of atherosclerotic plaques in different vascular territories and early signs of plaque vulnerability, but also with cadmium content and plaque-rupture in the clinical phase of the disease. Ultrasound technique was used to measure plaque prevalence and echogenicity in the carotid and femoral arteries in a population sample of women (n = 599) in whom blood cadmium was measured. In addition cadmium was measured in snap-frozen endarterectomies and whole blood obtained from patients who were referred to surgery because of symptomatic carotid plaques (n = 37). Sixteen endarterectomies were divided into three parts corresponding to different flow conditions and plaque vulnerability. In the population sample blood cadmium was associated with the number of vascular territories with plaques (p = 0.003 after adjustment for potential confounders). The cadmium concentrations in symptomatic plaques were 50-fold higher in plaque tissue than in blood. Cadmium levels in blood and plaque correlated, also after adjustment for smoking and other cardiovascular risk factors (p<0.001). Compared with the other parts of the plaque, the cadmium content was double as high in the part where plaque rupture usually occurs. In conclusion, the results show that cadmium exposure is associated with the burden of subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged women with different degrees of glucose tolerance, and that the content of cadmium in symptomatic plaques in patients is related to that in blood, but much higher, and preferentially located in the part of plaque where rupture often occurs.     

Atherosclerotic plaque imaging using phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography

Reliable, noninvasive imaging modalities to characterize plaque components are clinically desirable for detecting unstable coronary plaques, which cause acute coronary syndrome. Although recent clinical developments in computed tomography (CT) have enabled the visualization of luminal narrowing and calcified plaques in coronary arteries, the identification of noncalcified plaque components remains difficult. Phase-contrast X-ray CT imaging has great potentials to reveal the structures inside biological soft tissues, because its sensitivity to light elements is almost 1,000 times greater than that of absorption-contrast X-ray imaging. Moreover, a specific mass density of tissue can be estimated using phase-contrast X-ray CT. Ex vivo phase-contrast X-ray CT was performed using a synchrotron radiation source (SPring-8, Japan) to investigate atherosclerotic plaque components of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Samples were also histologically analyzed. Phase-contrast X-ray CT at a spatial resolution of 10-20 mum revealed atherosclerotic plaque components easily, and thin fibrous caps were detected. The specific mass densities of these plaque components were quantitatively estimated. The mass density of lipid area was significantly lower (1.011 +/- 0.001766 g/ml) than that of smooth muscle area or collagen area (1.057 +/- 0.001407 and 1.080 +/- 0.001794 g/ml, respectively). Moreover, the three-dimensional assessment of plaques could provide their anatomical information. Phase-contrast X-ray CT can estimate the tissue mass density of atherosclerotic plaques and detect lipid-rich areas. It can be a promising noninvasive technique for the investigation of plaque components and detection of unstable coronary plaques.     

IL-7R blockade reduces post-myocardial infarction-induced atherosclerotic plaque inflammation in ApoE−/- mice

Modulating inflammation by targeting IL-1β reduces recurrent athero-thrombotic cardiovascular events without lipid lowering. This presents an opportunity to explore other pathways associated with the IL-1β signaling cascade to modulate the inflammatory response post-myocardial infarction (MI). IL-7 is a mediator of the inflammatory pathway involved in monocyte trafficking into atherosclerotic plaques and levels of IL-7 have been shown to be elevated in patients with acute MI. Recurrent athero-thrombotic events are believed to be mediated in part by index MI-induced exacerbation of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques. The objective of the study was to assess the feasibility of IL-7R blockade to modulate atherosclerotic plaque inflammation following acute MI in ApoE^?/- mice. Mice were fed Western diet for 12 weeks and then subjected to coronary occlusion to induce an acute MI. IL-7 expression was determined using qRT-PCR and immuno-staining, and IL-7R was assessed using flow cytometry. Plaque inflammation was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. IL-7R blockade was accomplished with monoclonal antibody to IL-7R. IL-7 mRNA expression was significantly increased in the cardiac tissue of mice subjected to MI but not in controls. IL-7 staining was observed in the coronary artery. Plaque macrophage and lipid content were significantly increased after MI. IL-7R antibody treatment but not control IgG significantly reduced macrophage and lipid content in atherosclerotic plaques. The results show that IL-7R antibody treatment reduces monocyte/macrophage and lipid content in the atherosclerotic plaque following MI suggesting a potential new target to mitigate increased plaque inflammation post-MI.