Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing hypophosphatemic disorders.

Abstract: A method of optically imaging an object includes the determination of a source point and a destination point within the object. Planar boundaries are selected that approximate a geometrical shape of the object, and virtual sources are found using a reflection of the original source through the boundaries. Subsequent reflections of the added sources may be used to find higher order sources. Contributions to an optical transfer function from each of the added sources are added to determine a cumulative optical transfer function until a convergence limit is reached. The resulting optical transfer function is more accurate than the original in that it takes boundary phenomena into consideration.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining the depth and concentration of fluorophores in a turbid medium are disclosed. The method advantageously provides for a rapid estimation of the depth of the fluorophore using characteristics of a temporal point spread function. The concentration of the fluorophore can be determined using the method of the present invention by combining a calculated depth of the fluorophore with a measurement of the intensity of the emitted fluorescence. The intensity can be accurately measured by the apparatus disclosed herein which combine back-reflection and trans-illumination geometries for the source of light injecting and detection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a kit for diagnosing a disorder comprising a reagent that detects FGF23 polypeptides and mutant FGF23 polypeptides.

Abstract: There is provided a method for improving contrast and resolution of an optical image of an object obtained by time-resolved techniques such as Time Domain (TD) and Frequency Domain (FD). The method comprises obtaining a Temporal Point Spread Function (TPSF), and determining optical properties of volumes of interest (VOI), each volume being defined by an ensemble of equiprobable effective photon paths corresponding to a time point or time gate of the TPSF.

Abstract: A fluorescence optical tomography system and method uses a photon migration model calculator for which absorption and reduced scattering coefficient values are determined for each source/detector pair. The coefficient values may be determined by measurement, in which a time resolved detector detects the excitation wavelength and generates temporal point spread functions from which the coefficient values are found. Alternatively, the coefficient values may be determined by calculating them from a dataset containing a spatial distribution of absorption and reduced scattering coefficients in a volume of interest. The fluorescence detection may be continuous wave, time resolved, or a combination of the two. An estimator uses a detected fluorescence signal and an estimated fluorescence signal to estimate the image values.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical imaging of a breast is described, the apparatus comprising: a supporting platform for positioning a patient in a face down prone position, the platform having a cavity for the breast to be pendantly suspended therethrough; a flexible fluid-filled receptacle below the cavity holding an optical matching fluid for the optical imaging, wherein the breast is immersed in the fluid during the optical imaging; a supporting mechanism surrounding a perimeter of the receptacle for supporting the receptacle within the cavity and preventing it from falling through the cavity when holding the optical matching fluid; and a source and detector coupling device for orienting source and detector ports with respect to the receptacle and for contacting the receptacle to obtain a desired geometry of the breast and the optical matching fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a kit for diagnosing a disorder comprising a reagent that detects FGF23 polypeptides and mutant FGF23 polypeptides.

Abstract: There is provided methods and systems for optical imaging in a turbid medium that combine continuous wave (CW) and time domain (TD) approaches to substantially increase robustness of optical imaging as well as to reduce acquisition times associated with the TD approach. In one aspect, a method is provided that uses CW measurements to scale the values of a temporal point spread function (TPSF) to avoid physical unit mismatch problems. In another aspect, both CW and TD measurements are synergistically combined to estimate optical properties of the medium used in image reconstruction. Optical systems capable of realizing these methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for optical imaging of an object in transmission configuration. The method and system obtain contour coordinates of the object using source/detector configurations references and acquire optical data from a region of interest (ROI) of the object. Then, the method and system apply a weighting factor to said optical data as a function of the contour coordinates, and reconstruct an image of the ROI using the weighted optical data and photon diffusion equation.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for detecting a defect in a populated sample having a thickness dimension substantially smaller than the length and width dimensions thereof, the populated sample having a first side and an opposite second side, at least said first side of said populated sample having one or more Surface Mounted Components. The mechanism exploits a standard thermographic image which may be used in a detection method comprising 1) directing a thermal wave at said second side of said populated sample 2) recording a thermographic image of the first side of said populated sample once a surface thereof reaches a predetermined transit temperature or a predetermined transit time period has elapsed; and 3) analysing the obtained thermographic image by comparing the so obtained thermographic image with a standard thermographic image.

Abstract: There is provided a method and system for positioning a mammal for optical imaging in which a digital image of the mammal is obtained using a camera and a region of interest is selected using the digital image. The selected region is registered with an optical imaging system and the mammal is positioned in the imaging system to image the selected region of interest.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for wavelength selection in a multi-wavelength TPSF or CW-based optical imaging system. This consists of identifying several chromophores in a highly turbid medium and selecting optimized wavelengths whereby using these wavelengths optimizes the deduction of the chromophore concentrations. Such chromophore concentrations may be combined to deduce other properties of the turbid medium.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining the depth and concentration of fluorophores in a turbid medium are disclosed. The method advantageously provides for a rapid estimation of the depth of the flurophore using characteristics of a temporal point spread function. The concentration of the flurophore can be determined using the method of the present invention by combining a calculated depth of the flurophore with a measurement of the intensity of the emitted fluorescence. The intensity can be accurately measured by the apparatus disclosed herein which combine back-reflection and trans-illumination geometries for the source of light injecting and detection.

Abstract: There is provided an improved method for enhancing fluorescence images of an object, such as a biological tissue, by selectively eliminating or reducing unwanted fluorescence from fluorophores other than the fluorophore of interest. The method is based on the measurement of the lifetime of fluorophores while preserving information related to the fluorescence intensity of the fluorophore of interest.

Abstract: The present invention identifies a protein, designated the D-sequence-binding protein (D-BP), is phosphorylated at tyrosine residues and blocks AAV-mediated transgene expression in infected cells by inhibiting the leading strand viral DNA synthesis. More particularly, the present invention demonstrates that D-BP is phosphorylated by EGF-R protein tyrosine kinase. Methods of increasing transcription and promoting replication of transgenes exploiting this information are disclosed herein.

Abstract: The TPSF-based imaging technique uses multiple wavelengths to image an object simultaneously. Acquisition time of an image can be shortened without sacrificing the effective amount or quality of raw imaging data acquired. A plurality of distinguishable wavelengths may be used simultaneously at different injection-detection positions to acquire simultaneously a plurality of TPSF-based imaging data points for the different injection-detection positions. The multiple wavelengths may provide complementary information about the object being imaged.

Abstract: Provided in the present invention are isolated nucleotide sequences encoding EDR1 proteins, the disruption of which is associated with enhanced disease resistance in plants. The invention also provides vectors comprising said nucleotide sequences.

Abstract: There is provided a method and system for collecting optical data for use in time resolved optical imaging wherein light is directionally propagated through free-space optics to impinge on a plurality of illumination at the surface of a biological tissue such as that comprised in small animals. Light re-emitted from the tissue is collected and directionally propagated through free space optics towards a detector to produce time resolved optical signals useful for optical image reconstructions.

Abstract: An ion separation instrument includes an ion source coupled to at least a first ion mobility spectrometer having an ion outlet coupled to a mass spectrometer. Instrumentation is further included to provide for passage to the mass spectrometer only ions defining a preselected ion mobility range. In one embodiment, the ion mobility spectrometer is provided with electronically controllable inlet and outlet gates, wherein a control circuit is operable to control actuation of the inlet and outlet gates as a function of ion drift time to thereby allow passage therethrough only of ions defining a mobility within the preselected ion mobility range. In another embodiment, an ion trap is disposed between the ion mobility spectrometer and mass spectrometer and is controlled in such a manner so as to collect a plurality of ions defining a mobility within the preselected ion mobility range prior to injection of such ions into the mass spectrometer.