Abstract: Disclosed herein are optical systems and platforms for the simultaneous assessment of one or more properties of a sample, e.g., a biomolecule-containing pharmaceutical composition, including, e.g., aggregation, phase separation, and/or viscosity, as well as methods of using the same.

Abstract: A system for determining the viability of an embryo comprises an imaging device, an excitation device configured to direct an excitation energy at an embryo, a controller communicatively connected to the imaging device and the excitation device, configured to drive the excitation device and collect images from the imaging device at an imaging frequency, a processor performing steps comprising acquiring a set of images from the imaging device, performing a Fourier Transformation to generate a set of phasor coordinates, computing a D-trajectory, computing a set of values of additional parameters, comparing the set of values to a set of stored values related to embryos of known viability, and calculating a viability index factor of the embryo from the set of values and the set of stored values. Methods of calculating embryo viability and determining one or more properties of a tissue are also described.

Abstract: A system for determining the viability of an embryo comprises an imaging device, an excitation device configured to direct an excitation energy at an embryo, a controller communicatively connected to the imaging device and the excitation device, configured to drive the excitation device and collect images from the imaging device at an imaging frequency, a processor performing steps comprising acquiring a set of images from the imaging device, performing a Fourier Transformation to generate a set of phasor coordinates, computing a D-trajectory, computing a set of values of additional parameters, comparing the set of values to a set of stored values related to embryos of known viability, and calculating a viability index factor of the embryo from the set of values and the set of stored values. Methods of calculating embryo viability and determining one or more properties of a tissue are also described.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for inhibiting bacterial virulence, as well as methods and materials for use in rapid assessment of antibiotic susceptibility are described. A method for inhibiting bacterial virulence comprises exposing a site containing or suspected of containing virulent bacteria to a carbon source, wherein the carbon source produces a low g value. Examples of such carbon sources include pyruvate, citrate, oxaloacetate, malate, and fumarate. The carbon source can be applied to a surface or administered to a subject.

Abstract: A system for determining the viability of an embryo comprises an imaging device, an excitation device configured to direct an excitation energy at an embryo, a controller communicatively connected to the imaging device and the excitation device, configured to drive the excitation device and collect images from the imaging device at an imaging frequency, a processor performing steps comprising acquiring a set of images from the imaging device, performing a Fourier Transformation to generate a set of phasor coordinates, computing a D-trajectory, computing a set of values of additional parameters, comparing the set of values to a set of stored values related to embryos of known viability, and calculating a viability index factor of the embryo from the set of values and the set of stored values. Methods of calculating embryo viability and determining one or more properties of a tissue are also described.

Abstract: A system for determining the viability of an embryo comprises an imaging device, an excitation device configured to direct an excitation energy at an embryo, a controller communicatively connected to the imaging device and the excitation device, configured to drive the excitation device and collect images from the imaging device at an imaging frequency, a processor performing steps comprising acquiring a set of images from the imaging device, performing a Fourier Transformation to generate a set of phasor coordinates, computing a D-trajectory, computing a set of values of additional parameters, comparing the set of values to a set of stored values related to embryos of known viability, and calculating a viability index factor of the embryo from the set of values and the set of stored values. Methods of calculating embryo viability and determining one or more properties of a tissue are also described.

Abstract: A label-free imaging method to monitor stem cell metabolism discriminates different states of stem cell as they differentiate in a living tissues. We use intrinsic fluorescence biomarkers and the phasor approach to Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM). We identify and map intrinsic fluorophores such as collagen, retinol, retinoic acid, flavins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and porphyrin. We measure the phasor values of germ cells in C. Elegans germ line. Their metabolic fingerprint cluster according to their differentiation state, reflecting changes in FAD concentration and NADH binding during the differentiation pathway. The phasor approach to lifetime imaging provides a label-free, fit-free and sensitive method to identify different metabolic state of cells during differentiation, to sense small changes in the redox state of cells and may identify symmetric and asymmetric divisions and predict cell fate.

Abstract: An optical imaging method based on a feedback principle in which the specific scan pattern is adapted according to the shape of the sample. The feedback approach produces nanometer-resolved three dimensional images of very small and moving features in live cells and in a matter of seconds. Images of microvilli in live cultured opossum kidney cells expressing NaPi co-transporter proteins with different GFP constructs and images of cell protrusions in a collagen matrix are produced with a resolution of about 20 nm. Along cell protrusions in three dimensional cellular adhesions could be identified to the extracellular matrix.

Abstract: “A label-free imaging method to monitor stem cell metabolism discriminates different states of stem cell as they differentiate in a living tissues. We use intrinsic fluorescence biomarkers and the phasor approach to Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM). We identify and map intrinsic fluorophores such as collagen, retinol, retinoic acid, flavins, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and porphyrin. We measure the phasor values of germ cells in C. Elegans germ line. Their metabolic fingerprint cluster according to their differentiation state, reflecting changes in FAD concentration and NADH binding during the differentiation pathway. The phasor approach to lifetime imaging provides a label-free, fit-free and sensitive method to identify different metabolic state of cells during differentiation, to sense small changes in the redox state of cells and may identify symmetric and asymmetric divisions and predict cell fate.

Abstract: An optical imaging method based on a feedback principle in which the specific scan pattern is adapted according to the shape of the sample. The feedback approach produces nanometer-resolved three dimensional images of very small and moving features in live cells and in a matter of seconds. Images of microvilli in live cultured opossum kidney cells expressing NaPi co-transporter proteins with different GFP constructs and images of cell protrusions in a collagen matrix are produced with a resolution of about 20 nm. Along cell protrusions in three dimensional cellular adhesions could be identified to the extracellular matrix.