A filter unit for a Raman microscope mounted with a dark-field objective lens unit includes a frame body, a plurality of UV-LED elements that is disposed around a window part of the frame body to emit UV light, and a long-pass filter that is supported to the frame body to cover the window part of the frame body and transmits a light having a wavelength longer than the wavelength of the UV light. The filter unit has a dark-field UV irradiation function, and is able to impart a fluorescence observation function to the Raman microscope.

A filter unit for a Raman microscope mounted with a dark-field objective lens unit includes a frame body, a plurality of UV-LED elements that is disposed around a window part of the frame body to emit UV light, and a long-pass filter that is supported to the frame body to cover the window part of the frame body and transmits a light having a wavelength longer than the wavelength of the UV light. The filter unit has a dark-field UV irradiation function, and is able to impart a fluorescence observation function to the Raman microscope.

A method for enhancement of spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) from gases comprising a multimode blue laser diode which receives feedback from a near concentric bidirectional multipass cavity in such a way as to generate a circulating power of order 100 W for a sample volume of 10 mm.sup.3. The feedback, provided via a volume Bragg grating, reduces the laser bandwidth to 4 cm.sup.−1. Spectra of spontaneous Raman scattering from ambient atmospheric air, detected collinearly with the pump, were recorded with a limit of detection below 1 part-per-million.

A Raman spectrometer 1 comprising a laser 1001 for illuminating a sample S under investigation, an auto-focusing system for focusing the laser 1001 on the sample S under investigation, and a detector 1010 for detecting Raman spectra emitted in response to illumination by the laser 1001. The auto-focusing system further comprises at least one adjustable focusing element for adjusting the location of the focus of the laser, a determination unit 1012 for determining a selected location for the focus of the laser 1001, and a control unit for adjusting the adjustable focusing element to focus the laser at said selected location determined by the determination unit 1012. The auto-focusing system is arranged under the control of software to enable determination of the selected location for the focus of the laser 1001.

Disclosed is an assay for determining resistance in a target cell or tissue to a therapy associated with cellular stress using chemical microscopy and high-throughput single cell analysis to determine functional metabolic alteration, including determining metabolic reprogramming in a target cell or tissue to a therapy associated with cellular stress, and methods of using the assays.

The Nondestructive Fluid Sensing System is a device that rapidly scans fluids to determine physical and chemical properties of the sample fluid. The Nondestructive Fluid Sensing System can detect the presence of a sample fluid with various optical and electrical sensors, and determines physical and chemical properties. The system features several innovations that increase sample throughput, reduces sample cross contamination, and eliminates waste products typically used in chemical tests. The system may be applied to various industries including manufacturing quality control, and healthcare.

Techniques are disclosed for using a genetic algorithm to identify a processing pipeline that transforms spectra into a form usable to generate predicted characteristics of corresponding samples. The genetic algorithm is used to generate and evaluate multiple candidate solutions specifying various pre-processing and machine-learning-processing configurations. The processing pipeline is defined based on the candidate solutions.

Techniques are disclosed for using a genetic algorithm to identify a processing pipeline that transforms spectra into a form usable to generate predicted characteristics of corresponding samples. The genetic algorithm is used to generate and evaluate multiple candidate solutions specifying various pre-processing and machine-learning-processing configurations. The processing pipeline is defined based on the candidate solutions.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery. The method includes diffusing a beam of light onto a tissue surface of a parathyroid gland of a patient to illuminate the tissue surface; acquiring images of the illuminated tissue surface, where each of the acquired images includes a speckle pattern; and processing the acquired images to obtain speckle contrast images for the intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability in a surgery. The method includes diffusing a beam of light onto a tissue surface of a parathyroid gland of a patient to illuminate the tissue surface; acquiring images of the illuminated tissue surface, where each of the acquired images includes a speckle pattern; and processing the acquired images to obtain speckle contrast images for the intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland viability.