Abstract: An ocular cranial nerve monitoring system (OCNMS) that provides continuous measurement of pupillary reactivity in the eye. The system features a sensor component that produces a stimulating light and a recording light and records reflected recording light so as to calculate pupillary diameter and response to stimulation as measured by latency, velocity, and/or amplitude. This system of the present invention may be used for indirect assessment of the 2nd and 3rd cranial nerve (CN 2, CN3) pathways and/or intracranial pressure in patients and may be used intraoperatively. The data obtained from this system may allow for immediate corrective actions, which may help prevent permanent deficits and improve patient safety and surgical outcomes. In some instances, the system may help avoid unnecessary or invasive procedures (e.g., catheters inserted for intracranial pressure monitoring).

Abstract: Phase change nanodroplet conjugates and methods of making and using thereof are provided. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates include a nanodroplet having a gaseous precursor on the interior and an outer shell such as a lipid monolayer, a lipid bilayer, or a polymer layer. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates can have one or more nanoparticles attached to the outer layer, e.g. via a linker. The nanoparticles can include therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic nanoparticles. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates can be used for the targeted delivery of a therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic nanoparticle to a target region in a subject in need thereof. The methods can include applying an effective amount of ultrasound radiation to the target region to stimulate vaporization of the gaseous precursor followed by cavitation of the resultant bubble conjugate and release or dispersing of drug or drugs inside the liposomes. Methods of making phase change nanodroplet conjugates are also provided.

Abstract: An ocular cranial nerve monitoring system (OCNMS) that provides continuous measurement of pupillary reactivity in the eye. The system features a sensor component that produces a stimulating light and a recording light and records reflected recording light so as to calculate pupillary diameter and response to stimulation as measured by latency, velocity, and/or amplitude. This system of the present invention may be used for indirect assessment of the 2nd and 3rd cranial nerve (CN 2, CN3) pathways and/or intracranial pressure in patients and may be used intraoperatively. The data obtained from this system may allow for immediate corrective actions, which may help prevent permanent deficits and improve patient safety and surgical outcomes. In some instances, the system may help avoid unnecessary or invasive procedures (e.g., catheters inserted for intracranial pressure monitoring).

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to imaging with augmented stereoscopic microscopes. In one example, an augmented stereoscopic microscope includes an objective lens that can simultaneously receive near infrared (NIR) images and visible bright-field images of an examined object and an augmentation module. The augmentation module can separate the NIR images from the visible bright-field images for processing by an image processing unit to produce synthetic images using the NIR images and combine the synthetic images with the visible bright-field images to form co-registered augmented images that are directed to an eyepiece of the augmented stereoscopic microscope. In another example, a method includes obtaining a NIR image of an examined object; generating a synthetic image using the NIR image; combining the synthetic image with a real-time visual image of the examined object to form an augmented image; and directing the augmented image to an eyepiece of an augmented stereoscopic microscope.

Abstract: Phase change nanodroplet conjugates and methods of making and using thereof are provided. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates include a nanodroplet having a gaseous precursor on the interior and an outer shell such as a lipid monolayer, a lipid bilayer, or a polymer layer. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates can have one or more nanoparticles attached to the outer layer, e.g. via a linker. The nanoparticles can include therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic nanoparticles. The phase change nanodroplet conjugates can be used for the targeted delivery of a therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic nanoparticle to a target region in a subject in need thereof. The methods can include applying an effective amount of ultrasound radiation to the target region to stimulate vaporization of the gaseous precursor followed by cavitation of the resultant bubble conjugate and release or dispersing of drug or drugs inside the liposomes. Methods of making phase change nanodroplet conjugates are also provided.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to imaging with augmented stereoscopic microscopes. In one example, an augmented stereoscopic microscope includes an objective lens that can simultaneously receive near infrared (NIR) images and visible bright-field images of an examined object and an augmentation module. The augmentation module can separate the NIR images from the visible bright-field images for processing by an image processing unit to produce synthetic images using the NIR images and combine the synthetic images with the visible bright-field images to form co-registered augmented images that are directed to an eyepiece of the augmented stereoscopic microscope. In another example, a method includes obtaining a NIR image of an examined object; generating a synthetic image using the NIR image; combining the synthetic image with a real-time visual image of the examined object to form an augmented image; and directing the augmented image to an eyepiece of an augmented stereoscopic microscope.