Molekulare Endospektroskopie: Neue instrumentell-analytische Methoden zur medizinischen Diagnostik

Diese Arbeit entstand im Rahmen des Projektes „Molekulare Endospektroskopie“ an der Technischen Universität Dresden. Der Titel drückt aus, dass durch Kopplung von Endoskopie und Spektroskopie Gewebe auf molekularer Ebene charakterisiert wird. Infrarot- (IR-) und Raman-Spektroskopie bieten dabei besondere Vorteile, da sie zu den molekülspektroskopischen Verfahren mit dem höchsten Informationsgehalt gehören. Beide Methoden beruhen auf Molekülschwingungen, deren Spektren einen chemischen Fingerabdruck über die Zusammensetzung und Struktur der Proben liefern. Der Autor leitete eine wissenschaftliche Nachwuchsgruppe, die die Grundlagen der schwingungs-spektroskopischen Methoden zur Bildgebung von Gewebe und Zellen entwickelte und auf klinische Probleme – vor allem aus dem neuroonkologischen Bereich – anwendete. Diese kumulative Habilitationsschrift fasst vierzehn Veröffentlichungen zusammen, wobei in der letzten die Untersuchung eines Hirntumormodells von Mäusen mit einer faseroptischen Sonde beschrieben wurde. Zunächst werden verschiedene Methoden der Biophotonik verglichen, um die hier eingesetzten Techniken in diesen Kontext zu stellen. Danach werden biomedizinische Anwendungen von Fourier-Transform-Infrarot- (FTIR-) und Raman-Imaging beschrieben. Die eigenen Beiträge sind untergliedert in (i) Raman- und FTIR-Imaging in der Neuroonkologie, (ii) FTIR-mikroskopisches Imaging von Gewebedünnschnitten und (iii) Raman- und FTIR-mikroskopisches Imaging von einzelnen Zellen. Abschließend wird in den Schlussfolgerungen und dem Ausblick diskutiert, welche Rolle die molekulare Endospektroskopie als neue instrumentell-analytische Methode in der medizinischen Diagnostik übernehmen kann.This work summarizes the results of the project “Molecular Endospectroscopy” at the Dresden University of Technology. The title expresses that tissue is characterized on the molecular level by coupling endoscopy and spectroscopy. Infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy offer advantages for these applications because they belong to the methods of molecular spectroscopy with the highest information content. Both methods probe molecular vibrations that provide a chemical fingerprint for the composition and structure of samples. The author was leader of a junior research group which developed vibrational spectroscopic methods for imaging of cells and tissues and applied them to clinical problems, in particular from the field of neuro-oncology. The current cumulative habilitation thesis is based on fourteen publications. The last one describes studies of a murine brain tumor model using a fiber-optic probe. In the first part various biophotonic methods are compared. Then biomedical applications of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman imaging are reported. The papers are grouped into the chapters (i) Raman and FTIR imaging in neuro-oncology, (ii) FTIR microscopic imaging of tissue sections and (iii) Raman and FTIR microscopic imaging of single cells. It is discussed in the conclusions and outlook how molecular endospectroscopy as a new analytical tool can complement the standard diagnostic methods

Optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy with simultaneously acquired Raman spectroscopy for two-dimensional microplastic identification

In recent years, vibrational spectroscopic techniques based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) or Raman microspectroscopy have been suggested to fulfill the unmet need for microplastic particle detection and identification. Inter-system comparison of spectra from reference polymers enables assessing the reproducibility between instruments and advantages of emerging quantum cascade laser-based optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy. In our work, IR and Raman spectra of nine plastics, namely polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, silicone, polylactide acid and polymethylmethacrylate were simultaneously acquired using an O-PTIR microscope in non-contact, reflection mode. Comprehensive band assignments were presented. We determined the agreement of O-PTIR with standalone attenuated total reflection FTIR and Raman spectrometers based on the hit quality index (HQI) and introduced a two-dimensional identification (2D-HQI) approach using both Raman- and IR-HQIs. Finally, microplastic particles were prepared as test samples from known materials by wet grinding, O-PTIR data were collected and subjected to the 2D-HQI identification approach. We concluded that this framework offers improved material identification of microplastic particles in environmental, nutritious and biological matrices

Assessment of shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy in highly fluorescent biological samples

Shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) can be used as an instrumental baseline correction technique to retrieve Raman bands in highly fluorescent samples. Genipin (GE) cross-linked equine pericardium (EP) was used as a model system since a blue pigment is formed upon cross-linking, which results in a strong fluorescent background in the Raman spectra. EP was cross-linked with 0.25% GE solution for 0.5 h, 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h, and compared with corresponding untreated EP. Raman spectra were collected with three different excitation wavelengths. For the assessment of the SERDS technique, the preprocessed SERDS spectra of two excitation wavelengths (784 nm-786 nm) were compared with the mathematical baseline-corrected Raman spectra at 785 nm excitation using extended multiplicative signal correction, rubberband, the sensitive nonlinear iterative peak and polynomial fitting algorithms. Whereas each baseline correction gave poor quality spectra beyond 6 h GE crosslinking with wave-like artefacts, the SERDS technique resulted in difference spectra, that gave superior reconstructed spectra with clear collagen and resonance enhanced GE pigment bands with lower standard deviation. Key for this progress was an advanced difference optimization approach that is described here. Furthermore, the results of the SERDS technique were independent of the intensity calibration because the system transfer response was compensated by calculating the difference spectrum. We conclude that this SERDS strategy can be transferred to Raman studies on biological and non-biological samples with a strong fluorescence background at 785 nm and also shorter excitation wavelengths which benefit from more intense scattering intensities and higher quantum efficiencies of CCD detectors. This journal i

Analysis and Design of a Portal for Ionospheric Data

Since 2004 DLR Neustrelitz operates the Space Weather Application Center – Ionosphere (SWACI). This Center is involved in several projects of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) program of ESA and of EU FP7. It is largely based on services and tools of DLR’s Data and Information Management System (DIMS) and its long-standing User interface EoWEB. SWACI provides access to near real time products and ensures long-term preservation. The lecture will analyze the existing solution and various project-specific applications and will derive requirements for a recent user interface. In the second part the talk will draw a design of an user interface for the Ionospheric Monitoring and Prediction Center (IMPC), which continues utilizing existing services of DLR, offers OGC compliant interfaces and which is so generalized that future projects can be easily plugged in

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to Characterize Different Fractions of Extracellular Vesicles from Control and Prostate Cancer Patients

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed structures ranging in size from about 60 to 800 nm that are released by the cells into the extracellular space; they have attracted interest as easily available biomarkers for cancer diagnostics. In this study, EVs from plasma of control and prostate cancer patients were fractionated by differential centrifugation at 5000× g, 12,000× g and 120,000× g. The remaining supernatants were purified by ultrafiltration to produce EV-depleted free-circulating (fc) fractions. Spontaneous Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) at 785 nm excitation using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were employed as label-free techniques to collect fingerprint spectra and identify the fractions that best discriminate between control and cancer patients. SERS spectra from 10 µL droplets showed an enhanced Raman signature of EV-enriched fractions that were much more intense for cancer patients than controls. The Raman spectra of dehydrated pellets of EV-enriched fractions without AgNPs were dominated by spectral contributions of proteins and showed variations in S-S stretch, tryptophan and protein secondary structure bands between control and cancer fractions. We conclude that the AgNPs-mediated SERS effect strongly enhances Raman bands in EV-enriched fractions, and the fractions, EV12 and EV120 provide the best separation of cancer and control patients by Raman and SERS spectra

FLIm and raman spectroscopy for investigating biochemical changes of bovine pericardium upon genipin cross-linking

Biomaterials used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications benefit from longitudinal monitoring in a non-destructive manner. Label-free imaging based on fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) and Raman spectroscopy were used to monitor the degree of genipin (GE) cross-linking of antigen-removed bovine pericardium (ARBP) at three incubation time points (0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 h). Fluorescence lifetime decreased and the emission spectrum redshifted compared to that of uncross-linked ARBP. The Raman signature of GE-ARBP was resonance-enhanced due to the GE cross-linker that generated new Raman bands at 1165, 1326, 1350, 1380, 1402, 1470, 1506, 1535, 1574, 1630, 1728, and 1741 cm-1. These were validated through density functional theory calculations as cross-linker-specific bands. A multivariate multiple regression model was developed to enhance the biochemical specificity of FLIm parameters fluorescence intensity ratio (R2 = 0.92) and lifetime (R2 = 0.94)) with Raman spectral results. FLIm and Raman spectroscopy detected biochemical changes occurring in the collagenous tissue during the cross-linking process that were characterized by the formation of a blue pigment which affected the tissue fluorescence and scattering properties. In conclusion, FLIm parameters and Raman spectroscopy were used to monitor the degree of cross-linking non-destructively. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Remineralization of Artificially Demineralized Human Enamel and Dentin Samples by Zinc-Carbonate Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals

(1) Background: Decalcified enamel and dentin surfaces can be regenerated with non-fluoride-containing biomimetic systems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a zinc carbonate-hydroxyapatite-containing dentifrice on artificially demineralized enamel and dentin surfaces. (2) Methods: Human enamel and dentin discs were prepared and subjected to surface demineralization with 30% orthophosphoric acid for 60 s. Subsequently, in the test group (n = 20), the discs were treated three times a day for 3 min with a zinc carbonate-hydroxyapatite-containing toothpaste (biorepair®). Afterwards, all samples were gently rinsed with PBS (5 s) and stored in artificial saliva until next use. Samples from the control group (n = 20) received no dentifrice-treatment and were stored in artificial saliva, exclusively. After 15 days of daily treatment, specimens were subjected to Raman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (EDX), white-light interferometry, and profilometry. (3) Results: Raman spectroscopy and white-light interferometry revealed no significant differences compared to the untreated controls. EDX analysis showed calcium phosphate and silicon dioxide precipitations on treated dentin samples. In addition, treated dentin surfaces showed significant reduced roughness values. (4) Conclusions: Treatment with biorepair® did not affect enamel surfaces as proposed. Minor mineral precipitation and a reduction in surface roughness were detected among dentin surfaces only