Systems and methods are provided for performing photothermal dynamic imaging. An exemplary method includes: scanning a sample to produce a plurality of raw photothermal dynamic signals; receiving the raw photothermal dynamic signals of the sample; generating a plurality of second signals by matched filtering the raw photothermal dynamic signals to reject non-modulated noise; and performing an inverse operation on the second signals to retrieve at least one thermodynamic signal in a temporal domain.

In one illustrative configuration, an air quality monitoring system may enable wide-scale deployment of multiple air quality monitors with high-confidence and actionable data is provided. Further, the air quality monitoring system may enable identifying a target emission from a plurality of potential sources at a site based on simulating plume models. The simulation of plume models may take into consideration various simulation parameters including wind speed and direction. Further, methods of determining a plume flux of a plume of emissions at a site, and methods of transmitting data from an air quality monitor are disclosed.

Mid-infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (MIR-PHI) techniques described herein overcome the diffraction limit of traditional MIR imaging and uses visible photodiodes as detectors. MIR-PHI experiments are shown that achieve high sensitivity, sub-diffraction limit spatial resolution, and high acquisition speed. Sensitive, affordable, and widely applicable, photothermal imaging techniques described herein can serve as a useful imaging tool for biological systems and other submicron-scale applications.

Mid-infrared photothermal heterodyne imaging (MIR-PHI) techniques described herein overcome the diffraction limit of traditional MIR imaging and uses visible photodiodes as detectors. MIR-PHI experiments are shown that achieve high sensitivity, sub-diffraction limit spatial resolution, and high acquisition speed. Sensitive, affordable, and widely applicable, photothermal imaging techniques described herein can serve as a useful imaging tool for biological systems and other submicron-scale applications.

The invention provides a method that gives direct information about the intervention of a potential drug on the secondary structure distribution of a targetbiomolecule, i.e., for a disease with misfolded protein, such as neurodegenerative diseases in a complex body fluid. The secondary structural change is monitored by vibrational spectroscopy. The method can be applied for prescreening of drug candidates for targeting of specific biomolecules. The effect of the drug on the secondary structure distribution is monitored label-free in real time and provides thereby direct information about the efficacy of the potential drug.

A method of measuring a spectral response of a biological sample (1), comprises the steps generation of probe light having a primary spectrum, irradiation of the sample (1) with the probe light, including an interaction of the probe light and the sample (1), and spectrally resolved detection of the probe light having a modified spectrum, which deviates from the primary spectrum as a result of the interaction of the probe light and the sample (1), said modified spectrum being characteristic of the spectral response of the sample (1), wherein the probe light comprises probe light pulses (2) being generated with a fs laser source device (10). Furthermore, a spectroscopic measuring apparatus is described, which is configured for measuring a spectral response of a biological sample (1).

A method of measuring a spectral response of a biological sample (1), comprises the steps generation of probe light having a primary spectrum, irradiation of the sample (1) with the probe light, including an interaction of the probe light and the sample (1), and spectrally resolved detection of the probe light having a modified spectrum, which deviates from the primary spectrum as a result of the interaction of the probe light and the sample (1), said modified spectrum being characteristic of the spectral response of the sample (1), wherein the probe light comprises probe light pulses (2) being generated with a fs laser source device (10). Furthermore, a spectroscopic measuring apparatus is described, which is configured for measuring a spectral response of a biological sample (1).

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for measuring whether organic matter is present or whether or not organisms (cells or tissue) are alive using infrared absorption spectroscopic analysis. The measurement apparatus of the invention includes an infrared light source for radiating infrared rays on a sample, an infrared detection unit for detecting the infrared rays transmitted or reflected from the sample, and a determination unit for identifying an amide infrared absorption peak of the sample using the detected infrared rays and for determining whether organic matter is present or whether organisms are alive or not in the sample using the identified amide infrared absorption peak. In this invention, a reagent is not used, simple measurement is performed, quantification is feasible, and the presence or absence of cells or tissues and changes in the life and death can be consecutively measured for the same sample.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for measuring whether organic matter is present or whether or not organisms (cells or tissue) are alive using infrared absorption spectroscopic analysis. The measurement apparatus of the invention includes an infrared light source for radiating infrared rays on a sample, an infrared detection unit for detecting the infrared rays transmitted or reflected from the sample, and a determination unit for identifying an amide infrared absorption peak of the sample using the detected infrared rays and for determining whether organic matter is present or whether organisms are alive or not in the sample using the identified amide infrared absorption peak. In this invention, a reagent is not used, simple measurement is performed, quantification is feasible, and the presence or absence of cells or tissues and changes in the life and death can be consecutively measured for the same sample.

Systems, methods, and modules for detecting a biomarker in a sample are described. A system for detecting presence or absence of a biomarker in a sample includes: a light source for producing electromagnetic radiation for interrogating the sample; a biosensor module including: a waveguide for guiding the electromagnetic radiation, the waveguide exposed to the sample; and a recognition element affixed to the waveguide and configured to bind to the biomarker; a detector for receiving the electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide and detecting a signal corresponding to an interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the biomarker bound to the recognition element, in accordance with at least one detection modality; and a computing device for analyzing data related to the signal in order to detect presence or absence of the biomarker in the sample.