ABSTRACTThis study compared apoptosis induction in squamous cell carcinoma keratinocytes following exposure to 5‐aminolevulinic acid combined with either blue light (417 ± 5 nm) or red light (635 ± 5 nm) photodynamic therapy, with apoptotic activity quantified via levels of Annexin V expression. Our results demonstrated that blue light induces superior levels of apoptosis in squamous cell carcinoma keratinocytes compared to red light at the parameters tested. Both wavelengths demonstrate additional dose‐ and temperature‐dependent effects across two squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. These conclusions had significant implications for the clinical selection of a light source in combination with 5‐aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy in the treatment of actinic keratosis and early squamous cell carcinoma lesions.

The combined opto-electrochemical (Opto-EC) platform enables non-invasive, real-time monitoring of biochemical kinetics, electron-transfer processes, and surface-binding events. Here, we detect the CA15-3 breast-cancer biomarker using free and randomly gold-nanourchin (GNU)-conjugated antibodies (mAb) within a serum droplet, integrated into a time-resolved Opto-EC immunoassay on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film. Biolayer formation on the ITO surface alters charge-transfer dynamics and reduces surface-potential differences. Time-resolved FT-NIR spectroscopy reveals peaks at 4083, 4555, and 5560-6000 cm-1, associated with overtone and combination bands of OH, NH, and mixed NH/CH vibrations. Stochastic FT-NIR and SERS fluctuations reflect time-dependent conformational changes, binding-site accessibility, and vibrational-mode variations. Correlation-coefficient dynamics indicate shifts in the analyte's molecular environment, influencing PCA clustering. A time-mapped Raman heatmap further tracks evolving peak positions and intensities, offering complementary insight into biomarker-sensor interactions. The free and randomly conjugated antigen-antibody system exhibits nonlinear stochastic behavior.

Tissue mimicking phantoms are essential for calibration and clinical translation of biophotonic techniques. Although the inverse adding-doubling (IAD) method is widely regarded as a reference standard for determining absorption and reduced scattering coefficients, significant inter-laboratory variability persists due to differences in integrating-sphere configurations, loss-compensation strategies, and model assumptions. This PRISMA-guided review (2015-2025) analyzes 10 experimental studies and proposes a unified comparison framework based on scattering power-law parameters to relate phantom fabrication to clinically relevant optical targets. Nonlinear regression of continuous spectra shows that selected PVC plastisol formulations reproduce dermal-like scattering slopes and that the power-law model provides consistent spectral descriptions ( ). By linking measurement methodology, spectral fitting, and mapping in space, this work provides a practical framework to interpret variability and guide development of tissue-equivalent phantoms for reliable calibration of biophotonic devices.

In nailfold capillary imaging, tremors cause image blurring and prevent accurate measurement, while capillary bundle distributions can diminish vascular information. As a comprehensive solution, we combined the YOLOv8 detection model with a Laplacian clarity evaluation function for real-time tracking of focus changes during capillary imaging. Normalized cross-correlation template matching was used to calculate the optimal matching position of adjacent frames, determine the position with the highest vascular similarity, and obtain the optimal offset between frames for accurate registration. Compared with the original video, mean squared error (MSE) decreased by 64.5%, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) increased by 3.88 dB, and structural similarity index (SSIM) increased by 4.7% in zooming experiments. MSE decreased by 57.9%, PSNR increased by 3.99 dB, and SSIM increased by 3.19% in fixed-focus experiments. Compared with state-of-the-art registration algorithms, our proposal provides better overall performance across three evaluation indicators, achieving the best registration effect for capillary images.

Currently, local excision of choroidal melanoma primarily depends on the intraoperative visual assessment. To improve surgical precision, we employed multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to characterize the microstructural and spectral features of both normal tissue and tumor boundary. The spectral differences between normal choroid and tumor boundary were systematically analyzed using lambda mode MPM. Collagen parameters were quantified by combining with image processing techniques to elucidate the structural alterations of normal tissues and choroidal melanomas. The results of the study demonstrated that the MPM enables label-free identification of tumor boundary, with NADH molecular changes serving as a critical basis for qualitative differentiation. Furthermore, utilizing self-developed image processing algorithms, the alteration of collagen fiber provides a potential quantitative index for identifying the tumor boundary. This study confirms the capability of MPM in identifying tumor boundary. With the advancement of multiphoton endoscopes, it holds promise for providing precise intraoperative guidance during choroidal melanoma resection.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is widely investigated for tissue recovery, performance enhancement, and post-exercise optimization. This study assessed whether PBM applied to the vagus nerve in the infra-auricular region, combined with resistance exercise, modulates cardiac autonomic function in healthy, physically active adults. In this acute randomized controlled trial, 34 volunteers were enrolled: 17 underwent PBM or sham PBM in a crossover design, while a control group (n = 17) received PBM without exercise. PBM was delivered with a total energy dose of 12 J. Heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed in time, frequency, and non-linear domains. Results showed a slight reduction (p = 0.011) in approximate entropy (ApEn) in the PBM group compared with controls, but no significant differences were observed in other HRV indices. These findings suggest that PBM applied to the vagus nerve induces minimal acute modulation of autonomic complexity. Further studies with different dosimetries and exercise protocols are warranted.

Glioma is the most common brain neoplasm that features aggressive behavior with a dismal prognosis. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene mutation in glioma is an early genetic event in gliomagenesis that occurs in virtually every tumor cell and can cause profound metabolic changes. In this manuscript, we report for the first time the analysis of Raman optical signatures of IDH genotypes for human glioma using visible resonance Raman (VRR) spectroscopy. We demonstrated that VRR is a rapid, label-free, and objective method as an alternative to the existing methods for the rapid intraoperative determination of IDH mutation status with high accuracy. This study shows AI-assisted VRR has the potential to provide a new optical molecular biomarker and perform early diagnosis of glioma, which is of great importance for current guiding surgical strategies and even for targeting insitu therapies in the future.

Laser ablation is progressively introducing novel therapeutic approaches for treatment of solid tumors. Recently, our previous research demonstrated that mid-infrared femtosecond lasers tuned to the collagen resonance wavelength can selectively ablate solid tumors. However, the mechanisms underlying selectivity, as well as its potential clinical relevance, remain insufficiently understood. In this study, systematic investigations have been conducted on three orthotopic mice models of solid tumors: glioma, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and colorectal cancer, employing a 6.1 μm femtosecond laser resonant with collagen. Selective ablation is observed in glioma and PDAC, but not in colorectal cancer, which is attributed to the markedly increased collagen content, particularly Collagen I, relative to their corresponding normal tissues, a disparity that is not present in colorectal cancer. Further analysis of clinical specimens through multiplex immunofluorescence and gene expression supports the translational potential of this collagen-mediated selective laser ablation mechanism, suggesting its applicability for tumor-targeted therapeutic interventions.

Second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging technique can specifically image components such as collagen fibers, which provides diagnostic information for prostate cancer (PCa). Gleason grading serves as the primary criterion for assessing PCa. However, obtaining high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) SHG images requires prolonged acquisition, limiting clinical feasibility. In this study, rapid SHG imaging was combined with a deep-learning-based denoising network, Selective Residual M-Net (SRMNet), to reconstruct high-fidelity images from low-SNR inputs. The denoising procedure markedly enhanced image quality while preserving collagen alignment features essential for quantitative assessment. The enhanced image fidelity enabled more robust extraction of collagen orientation metrics under low-SNR conditions, facilitating accurate assessment of stromal organization with reduced acquisition time. These results highlight that deep-learning-assisted SHG imaging provides an effective strategy for reliable collagen orientation analysis in PCa, supporting the development of rapid and objective optical histopathology.