Abstract: A method for determining an electromagnetic field spatial distribution of a radio frequency (RF) antenna which includes the steps of emitting with the RF antenna, a plurality of RF energy pulses into a homogeneous medium; performing a plurality of thermoacoustic signal measurements of the plurality of RF energy pulses, wherein each of the thermoacoustic signal measurements is performed in a similar manner; utilizing a variance in the plurality of thermoacoustic signal measurements to generate a reconstructed pressure distribution for a volume located within the homogeneous medium; and calculating the RF antenna electromagnetic field spatial distribution within the volume based upon the reconstructed pressure distribution for the volume located within the homogeneous medium.

Abstract: A radio frequency applicator for a thermoacoustic imaging system is disclosed. The applicator includes, a waveguide with an internal radio frequency source, wherein the waveguide has an opening, an electromagnetic matching layer coupled to the waveguide and proximate to the opening, and an acoustic absorbing layer that is coupled to the matching layer.

Abstract: Described herein is a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) platform with the ability to (a) serve as an ON/OFF switch (with the ability for tenability/titrability), (b) sense multiple antigens and perform logic computations, and/or (c) independently regulate multiple signaling pathways. The compositions provided herein permit the degree of control and discrimination necessary to optimize CAR T cell therapy. Also described herein are cells comprising such compositions and the use of these compositions and/or cells in the treatment of cancer.

Abstract: Described herein is a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) platform with the ability to (a) serve as an ON/OFF switch (with the ability for tenability/titrability), (b) sense multiple antigens and perform logic computations, and/or (c) independently regulate multiple signaling pathways. The compositions provided herein permit the degree of control and discrimination necessary to optimize CAR T cell therapy. Also described herein are cells comprising such compositions and the use of these compositions and/or cells in the treatment of cancer.

Abstract: A system utilizing thermoacoustic imaging to estimate tissue temperature within a region of interest that includes an object of interest and a reference which are separated by at least one boundary located at least at two boundary locations. The system uses a thermoacoustic imaging system that includes an adjustable radio frequency (RF) applicator configured to emit RF energy pulses into the tissue region of interest and heat tissue therein and an acoustic receiver configured to receive multi-polar acoustic signals generated in response to heating of tissue in the region of interest; and one or more processors that are able to: process received multi-polar acoustic generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude thereof; and calculate a temperature at the at least two boundary locations using the peak-to-peak amplitudes of the multi-polar acoustic signals and a distance between the boundary locations.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing radio frequency energy delivery to a tissue region of interest. The method and system direct with a radio frequency (RF) applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into the tissue region of interest, the tissue region of interest comprising an object of interest and at least one reference that are separated by at least one boundary; detect with an acoustic receiver, at least one bipolar acoustic signal generated in the tissue region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses and processing the at least one bipolar acoustic signal to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude thereof; adjust the RF applicator to maximize the peak-to-peak amplitude of bipolar acoustic signals generated in the tissue region of interest in response to RF energy pulses generated by the adjusted RF applicator; and direct with the adjusted RF applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into the region of interest.

Abstract: A method for determining a material type of an object of interest comprises: directing, using a radio frequency (RF) source, RF energy into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising the object of interest, a known reference and a boundary between the object of interest and the known reference; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal generated in response to the RF energy; correlating, by one or more processors, the at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal to a transmitted power correction factor to generate a corrected thermoacoustic multi-polar signal; and determining, by the one or more processors, the material type of the object of interest as a function of the corrected thermoacoustic multi-polar signal and a transmitted power of the RF energy.

Abstract: A thermoacoustic transducer integrating at least one piezoelectric element having a first surface and a second surface, a potential electrode that is electrically connected to the second surface, a ground electrode that is electrically connected to the first surface, a switch electrically connected to both the potential electrode and the ground electrode, a timer configured to match a pulse emanating from a radio-frequency emitter, further wherein the potential electrode and the ground electrode are electrically connected through an impedance when the switch is in an active state, further wherein the potential electrode and the ground electrode are not electrically connected when the switch is in an inactive state; and a housing accommodating the at least one piezoelectric element, potential electrode, ground electrode, and switch.

Abstract: A thermoacoustic transducer integrating at least one piezoelectric element having a first surface and a second surface, a potential electrode that is electrically connected to the second surface, a ground electrode that is electrically connected to the first surface, a switch electrically connected to both the potential electrode and the ground electrode, a timer configured to match a pulse emanating from a radio-frequency emitter, further wherein the potential electrode and the ground electrode are electrically connected through an impedance when the switch is in an active state, further wherein the potential electrode and the ground electrode are not electrically connected when the switch is in an inactive state; and a housing accommodating the at least one piezoelectric element, potential electrode, ground electrode, and switch.

Abstract: A thermoacoustic imaging system and method for monitoring tissue temperature within a region of interest, which has an object of interest and a reference that are separated by at least one boundary. The system and method include a thermoacoustic imaging system with an adjustable radio frequency (RF) applicator configured to emit RF energy pulses into the tissue region of interest and heat tissue therein, an acoustic receiver configured to receive bipolar acoustic signals generated in response to heating of tissue in the region of interest, and one or more processors that process at least one received bipolar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses to determine a peak-to-peak amplitude thereof and calculate a temperature at the at least one boundary using the peak-to-peak amplitude of the at least one bipolar acoustic signal.

Abstract: A method for determining a parameter of a material of interest which includes: directing, using a radio frequency (RF) source, RF energy into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising the material, a known reference and a boundary between the material and the known reference; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal generated in response to the RF energy; and determining, by the one or more processors, a parameter of the material as a function of the at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal and a transmitted power correction factor, wherein the transmitted power correction factor is based on an estimated thickness of the known reference and an attenuation coefficient of the known reference.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating fractional fat content of an object of interest. The method and system include a thermoacoustic imaging system comprising an adjustable radio frequency (RF) applicator configured to emit RF energy pulses into the region of interest and heat tissue therein and an acoustic receiver configured to receive bipolar acoustic signals generated in response to heating of tissue in the region of interest; and one or more processors. The one or more processors are able to process bipolar acoustic signals received by the acoustic receiver in response to RF energy pulses emitted into the region of interest using the RF applicator to determine a setting for the RF applicator that yields bipolar acoustic signals with at least one enhanced metric thereof, determine an impedance of the RF applicator used to yield acoustic bipolar signals with the enhanced at least one metric, and estimate fractional fat content of the object of interest using the determined impedance.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one parameter of interest of a material comprises directing, using a radio frequency (RF) applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising a material having a parameter of interest and at least one reference, the material and the reference separated by at least one boundary; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one multi-polar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses; processing the at least one multi-polar acoustic signal to determine an electric field strength at the boundary; calculating a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the one or more RF energy pulses; and determining the at least one parameter of interest of the material based at least on the determined electric field strength and the VSWR.

Abstract: A method and system optimize a thermoacoustic transducer functionality that is utilized in a thermoacoustic imaging system. The method and system select a pre-determined transducer geometry for the thermoacoustic imaging system, utilize the thermoacoustic imaging system with the pre-determined transducer geometry to generate at least one impulse in a field of view, acquire data from the impulse, reconstructing the data to generate N-dimensional impulse responses based upon respective channel responses, respective view responses, and a function of the acquired data, utilize the N-dimensional transforms for each image to generate a value for the pre-determined transducer functionality, and utilize the value for the pre-determined transducer functionality to determine an optimum thermoacoustic transducer functionality.

Abstract: A method for determining a parameter of a material of interest comprises: directing, using a radio frequency (RF) source, RF energy into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising the material, a known reference and a boundary between the material and the known reference; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal generated in response to the RF energy; and determining, by the one or more processors, a parameter of the material as a function of the at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal and a transmitted power correction factor.

Abstract: A method for determining a material type of an object of interest comprises: directing, using a radio frequency (RF) source, RF energy into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising the object of interest, a known reference and a boundary between the object of interest and the known reference; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal generated in response to the RF energy; correlating, by one or more processors, the at least one thermoacoustic multi-polar signal to a transmitted power correction factor to generate a corrected thermoacoustic multi-polar signal; and determining, by the one or more processors, the material type of the object of interest as a function of the corrected thermoacoustic multi-polar signal and a transmitted power of the RF energy.

Abstract: A method and system for simultaneously performing ultrasound and thermoacoustic imaging includes directing RF energy with an RF emitter through a surface of the RF emitter and toward a region of interest within the object, wherein the region of interest has a material, a reference, and a boundary between the material and the reference, wherein the RF energy thermoacoustically induces an ultrasound signal at the surface of the RF emitter that travels through the object and reflects at the boundary; using the thermoacoustic system to receive a thermoacoustic multi-polar signal from a specific location on the boundary, wherein the thermoacoustic multi-polar signal is induced by the RF energy; receiving the reflected ultrasound signal; utilizing the thermoacoustic system and the reflected ultrasound signal to map the specific location within the object; and utilizing the thermoacoustic system and the thermoacoustic multi-polar signal to determine a parameter at the specific location.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one parameter of interest of a material comprises directing, using a radio frequency (RF) applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising a material having a parameter of interest and at least one reference, the material and the reference separated by at least one boundary; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one multi-polar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses; processing the at least one multi-polar acoustic signal to determine an electric field strength at the boundary; calculating a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the one or more RF energy pulses; and determining the at least one parameter of interest of the material based at least on the determined electric field strength and the VSWR.

Abstract: A method for identifying a material of interest comprises directing, using a radio frequency (RF) applicator, one or more RF energy pulses into a region of interest, the region of interest comprising the material of interest and at least one reference that are separated by at least one boundary; detecting, using an acoustic receiver, at least one multi-polar acoustic signal generated in the region of interest in response to the RF energy pulses; processing the at least one multi-polar acoustic signal to determine an electric field strength at the boundary; and identifying the material of interest based at least on the determined electric field strength.

Abstract: A method and system optimize a thermoacoustic transducer functionality that is utilized in a thermoacoustic imaging system. The method and system select a pre-determined transducer geometry for the thermoacoustic imaging system, utilize the thermoacoustic imaging system with the pre-determined transducer geometry to generate at least one impulse in a field of view, acquire data from the impulse, reconstructing the data to generate N-dimensional impulse responses based upon respective channel responses, respective view responses, and a function of the acquired data, utilize the N-dimensional transforms for each image to generate a value for the pre-determined transducer functionality, and utilize the value for the pre-determined transducer functionality to determine an optimum thermoacoustic transducer functionality.