N-Benzyl­idenenordehydro­abietylamine

The title compound [systematic name: (1R,4aS,10aR,E)-N-benzyl­idene-7-isopropyl-1,4a-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9,10,10a-octa­hydro­phenanthren-1-amine], C26H33N, has been synthesized from nor-dehydro­abietylamine and benzaldehyde. The two cyclo­hexane rings form a trans ring junction with classic chair and half-chair conformations, respectively, the two methyl groups are on the same side of tricyclic hydro­phenanthrene structure. The dihedral angle between two benzene rings is 44.2 (4)°. The C=N bond is in an E configuration

Fast-scanning reflection-mode integrated photoacoustic and optical-coherence microscopy

We previously demonstrated that multimodal microscopy combining photoacoustic microscopy and optical coherence tomography can provide comprehensive insight into biological tissue at μm-level resolution by exploiting both optical absorption and scattering contrasts. Recently, we have developed a second-generation integrated photoacoustic and optical-coherence microscope, which can potentially be adapted for clinical applications. In this new system, we can perform photoacoustic and optical-coherence imaging simultaneously at a speed of 5,000 A-lines per second with real-time on-screen display. Also, both modalities now work in reflection mode instead of transmission mode, allowing easy access to various anatomical locations of interest. Imaging of skin and eye has been demonstrated in living small animals

Label-free photoacoustic ophthalmic angiography

We present label-free functional photoacoustic imaging of the ocular microvasculature in living animals. The anterior segment of an adult mouse was imaged with a laser exposure level well within the American National Standards Institute safety standards. Individual red blood cells traveling along the iris capillaries were clearly resolved, and the hemoglobin oxygen saturation in the iris microvasculature was imaged spectrally. We believe that photoacoustic imaging has the potential to advance the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases in humans

Integrated photoacoustic, confocal, and two-photon microscope

The invention of green fluorescent protein and other molecular fluorescent probes has promoted applications of confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy in biology and medicine. However, exogenous fluorescence contrast agents may affect cellular structure and function, and fluorescence microscopy cannot image nonfluorescent chromophores. We overcome this limitation by integrating optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy into a modern Olympus IX81 confocal, two-photon, fluorescence microscope setup to provide complementary, label-free, optical absorption contrast. Automatically coregistered images can be generated from the same sample. Imaging applications in ophthalmology, developmental biology, and plant science are demonstrated. For the first time, in a familiar microscopic fluorescence imaging setting, this trimodality microscope provides a platform for future biological and medical discoveries

The angular spectrum of the scattering coefficient map reveals subsurface colorectal cancer

Abstract Colorectal cancer diagnosis currently relies on histological detection of endoluminal neoplasia in biopsy specimens. However, clinical visual endoscopy provides no quantitative subsurface cancer information. In this ex vivo study of nine fresh human colon specimens, we report the first use of quantified subsurface scattering coefficient maps acquired by swept-source optical coherence tomography to reveal subsurface abnormities. We generate subsurface scattering coefficient maps with a novel wavelet-based-curve-fitting method that provides significantly improved accuracy. The angular spectra of scattering coefficient maps of normal tissues exhibit a spatial feature distinct from those of abnormal tissues. An angular spectrum index to quantify the differences between the normal and abnormal tissues is derived, and its strength in revealing subsurface cancer in ex vivo samples is statistically analyzed. The study demonstrates that the angular spectrum of the scattering coefficient map can effectively reveal subsurface colorectal cancer and potentially provide a fast and more accurate diagnosis