Remote imaging laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and remote cultural heritage ablative cleaning

We report, for what we believe to be the first time, on remote imaging laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Measurements have been performed by using a tripled Nd:YAG laser working at 355 nm with 170 mJ pulse energy, with an expanded beam that is focused onto a target at 60 m distance. The LIBS signal is detected by using an on-axis Newtonian telescope and an optical multichannel analyzer. The imaging is performed by scanning the laser beam on the target. The same setup is also used in demonstrations of remote laser ablation for cleaning of contaminated objects with applications toward cultural heritage

System for integrated interstitial photodynamic therapy and dosimetric monitoring

Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of cancer relies on the presence of light, sensitizer and oxygen. By monitoring these three parameters during the treatment a better understanding and treatment control could possibly be achieved. Here we present data from in vivo treatments of solid skin tumors using an instrument for interstitial photodynamic therapy with integrated dosimetric monitoring. By using intra-tumoral ALA-administration and interstitial light delivery solid tumors are targeted. The same fibers are used for measuring the fluence rate at the treatment wavelength, the sensitizer fluorescence and the local blood oxygen saturation during the treatment. The data presented is based on 10 treatments in 8 patients with thick basal cell carcinomas. The fluence rate measurements at 635 nm indicate a major treatment induced absorption increase, leading to a limited light penetration at the treatment wavelength. This leads to a far from optimal treatment since the absorption increase prevents peripheral tumor regions from being fully treated. An interactive treatment has been implemented assisting the physician in delivering the correct light dose. The absorption increase can be compensated for by either prolonging the treatment time or increasing the output power of each individual treatment fiber. The other parameters of importance, i.e. the sensitizer fluorescence at 705 nm and the local blood oxygen saturation, are monitored in order to get an estimate of the amount of photobleaching and oxygen consumption. Based on the oxygen saturation signal, a fractionized irradiation can be introduced in order to allow for a re-oxygenation of the tissu

Hyperfine structure in the sequence of sodium S states

The hyperfine structure for the 6, 7 and 8 2 S 1/2 states of 23 Na was measured by optical double-resonance techniques. The states were populated by step-wise excitation using two CW dye lasers. For the dipole interaction constant a, a(6 2 S 1/2 ) = 37.5(2) MHz, a(7 2 S 1/2 )=20.9(1) MHz, a(8 2 S 1/2 )=12.85(10) MHz. were obtained. Theoretical calculations of the hyperfine structure were performed for the 3-8 2 S 1/2 states using many-body perturbation techniques. When polarization as well as certain correlation effects are included in the calculation, an agreement with the experimental values within 2% is obtained

Lifetime measurements for excited states of rare-earth atoms using pulse modulation of a cw dye-laser beam

By pulse-modulating a cw dye-laser beam and employing the delayed-coincidence technique, we have determined the natural radiative lifetimes of a number of atomic states in rare-earth atoms Eu, Dy, and Yb. In the measurements, which were performed on an atomic beam, exponential decay curves with good statistics were obtained using short measuring times. The general features of the technique are discussed. When possible, oscillator strengths are deduced and compared with literature values

Interstitial photodynamic therapy - diagnostic measurements and treatment in rat malignant experimental tumours

A recently developed multiple fibre system for treating malignant tumours with interstitial photodynamic therapy was used in studies on rats with colon adenocarcinoma inoculated into the muscles of the hind legs. The animals were intraperitonially administrated delta -aminolevulinic acid (ALA), which is metabolised to protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in the tissue. The treatment system consists of a laser light source, a beam-splitting system dividing the light into three or six output fibres and a dosimetry programme calculating the optimal fibre position within the tumour as well as the treatment time needed to obtain a given threshold value of the light dose. One aim of the study was to compare the treatment outcome with the modelled dosimetry predictions. Tumour reduction was examined three days post treatment. A volume decrease was found in 85\% of the treated tumours. The mean volume reduction was 44\%, with one tumour completely disappearing. Histopathological examination three days post treatment showed substantial necrotic parts which, however, to a smaller extent were present also for non-treated tumours. These results indicated that the tumours have been under treated and the light dose has to be increased. Measurements of the build-up and photo-induced bleaching of PpIX using laser-induced fluorescence were also performed during the experiments

Physical demand but not dexterity is associated with motor flexibility during rapid reaching in healthy young adults

Healthy humans are able to place light and heavy objects in small and large target locations with remarkable accuracy. Here we examine how dexterity demand and physical demand affect flexibility in joint coordination and end-effector kinematics when healthy young adults perform an upper extremity reaching task. We manipulated dexterity demand by changing target size and physical demand by increasing external resistance to reaching. Uncontrolled manifold analysis was used to decompose variability in joint coordination patterns into variability stabilizing the end-effector and variability de-stabilizing the end-effector during reaching. Our results demonstrate a proportional increase in stabilizing and de-stabilizing variability without a change in the ratio of the two variability components as physical demands increase. We interpret this finding in the context of previous studies showing that sensorimotor noise increases with increasing physical demands. We propose that the larger de-stabilizing variability as a function of physical demand originated from larger sensorimotor noise in the neuromuscular system. The larger stabilizing variability with larger physical demands is a strategy employed by the neuromuscular system to counter the de-stabilizing variability so that performance stability is maintained. Our findings have practical implications for improving the effectiveness of movement therapy in a wide range of patient groups, maintaining upper extremity function in old adults, and for maximizing athletic performance

Hyperfine-structure study in the P sequence of 23 Na using quantum-beam spectroscopy

Describes use of the quantum-beat method to study hyperfine structure in the 5 2 P 3/2 and 6 2 P 3/2 states of 23 Na. A pulsed dye laser, frequency-doubled into the UV region, was used to excite sodium atoms abruptly in a beam. The fluorescent light was recorded with a fast transient digitiser, interfaced to a micro-computer. Theoretical calculations using many-body perturbation theory were performed for the entire P sequence measured so far, taking polarisation and correlation effects into account separately. Very good agreement between experimental and theoretical values was obtained

Compact medical fluorosensor for minimally invasive tissue characterization

A compact fiber-optic point-measuring fluorosensor fully adapted to clinical studies is described. The system can use two excitation wavelengths, 337 and 405 nm, obtained from a nitrogen laser directly, or after dye laser conversion, respectively. The image intensifier used in the spectrometer can be gated with a variable time delay, allowing also time-resolved spectra to be extracted, with a time resolution of about 4 ns. Moreover, diffusely scattered white light can be spectrally recorded. The system is fully computer controlled enabling short recording times in clinical application, which are illustrated

Time-resolved NIR/Vis spectroscopy for analysis of solids: Pharmaceutical tablets

Time-resolved spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions was used in a feasibility study for analysis of solid pharmaceuticals. The objective of the experiments was to study the interaction of light with pharmaceutical solids and to investigate the usefulness of the method as an analytical toot for spectroscopic analysis. In these experiments, a pulsed Ti:sapphire laser and white light generation in water was utilized to form a pulsed light source in the visible/NIR region. The light was focused onto the surface of tablets, and the transmitted light was detected by a time-resolving streak camera. Two types of measurements were performed. First, a spectrometer was put in front of the streak camera for spectral resolution. Secondly, the signal originating from different locations of the sample was collected. Time-resolved and wavelength/spatially resolved data were generated and compared for a number of different samples. The most striking result from the experiments is that the typical optical path length through a 3.5-mm-thick tablet is about 20-25 cm. This indicates very strong multiple scattering in these samples. Monte Carlo simulations and comparison with experimental data support very high scattering coefficients on the order of 500 cm(-1). Furthermore, the data evaluation shows that photons with a particular propagation time through the sample contain a higher chemical contrast than other propagation times or than steady-state information. In conclusion, time-resolved NIR spectroscopy yields more information about solid pharmaceutical samples than conventional steady-state spectroscopy