Investigating Biomarkers for USH2A Retinopathy Using Multimodal Retinal Imaging

Pathogenic mutations in USH2A are a leading cause of visual loss secondary to non-syndromic or Usher syndrome-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RP). With an increasing number of RP-targeted clinical trials in progress, we sought to evaluate the photoreceptor topography underlying patterns of loss observed on clinical retinal imaging to guide surrogate endpoint selection in USH2A retinopathy. In this prospective cross-sectional study, twenty-five patients with molecularly confirmed USH2A-RP underwent fundus autofluorescence (FAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) retinal imaging. Analysis comprised measurement of FAF horizontal inner (IR) and outer (OR) hyperautofluorescent ring diameter; SD-OCT ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) width, normalised EZ reflectance; AOSLO foveal cone density and intact macular photoreceptor mosaic (IMPM) diameter. Thirty-two eyes from 16 patients (mean age ± SD, 36.0 ± 14.2 years) with USH2A-associated Usher syndrome type 2 (n = 14) or non-syndromic RP (n = 2) met the inclusion criteria. Spatial alignment was observed between IR-EZ and OR-ELM diameters/widths (p < 0.001). The IMPM border occurred just lateral to EZ loss (p < 0.001), although sparser intact photoreceptor inner segments were detected until ELM disruption. EZ width and IR diameter displayed a biphasic relationship with cone density whereby slow cone loss occurred until retinal degeneration reached ~1350 μm from the fovea, beyond which greater reduction in cone density followed. Normalised EZ reflectance and cone density were significantly associated (p < 0.001). As the strongest correlate of cone density (p < 0.001) and best-corrected visual acuity (p < 0.001), EZ width is the most sensitive biomarker of structural and functional decline in USH2A retinopathy, rendering it a promising trial endpoint.     

基于空间谱域填充的MIMO雷达成像研究

 雷达成像需要获得目标空间谱域一定范围和密度的采样以重建目标图像,目标空间谱域的填充方式与雷达成像的质量有直接关系.论文首先阐述了MIMO(Multiple-Input Multiple-Output)雷达收发信号模型的空间卷积效应,基于电磁逆散射原理,推导出一种MIMO雷达成像方法,详细论述了成像性能与空间谱域填充的关系.讨论了收/发阵列配置对空间谱域填充的影响,得到阵列排布的基本准则,最后对成像算法的有效性和理论分析结果进行仿真验证.     

谱域OCT光谱分析及图像噪声消除方法

在谱域OCT系统中,成像过程存在原理性噪声以及系统暗噪声,影响了图像质量,造成图像信噪比降低,图像局部结构信息缺失,因此,对谱域OCT系统的干涉光谱成分和光谱噪声的形成机制进行分析,提出了针对干涉光谱解耦的噪声处理方法。对单层薄膜成像实验,得到了薄膜的二维层析图像,实验结果表明,噪声消除方法对薄膜的成像处理简单有效,能够显著提高图像质量。     

无机械扫描谱域光学相干层析术研究

为提高光学相干层析术(OCT)系统成像速度,借助成像光谱仪,以钨灯为非相干光源,采用柱面镜聚焦,搭建了迈克耳孙干涉仪结构的无扫描装置谱域OCT系统。介绍了系统结构和工作原理,对待测样品进行了层析成像实验,分析了系统的成像特性,利用中值滤波的方法消除背景噪声,获得了样品的二维层析图像,与点扫描光纤型OCT的成像速度进行了比较。研究表明,无扫描装置谱域OCT系统在8mm宽度范围成像时,其数据采集速度比传统点扫描方式约快2个数量级。     

润滑油膜厚度的光学相干层析成像测量

为了对滑动轴承的润滑油膜厚度进行精确测量,搭建了光纤结构的谱域光学相干层析成像(OCT)检测系统。该检测系统通过谱域OCT对油膜进行高分辨率成像,根据一维深度图像和二维层析图像中油膜和轴承表面的相对位置得到油膜厚度。分析了SD-OCT的检测原理,并对油膜厚度进行了测量,通过干涉光谱解耦法减小噪声对测量结果的影响。实验结果表明,该系统的测量误差小于2μm,具有良好的重复性和可靠性。该测量方法能够对油膜进行快速准确测量,有望应用于机械设备轴承运行状况的在线监测。     

用线性补偿算法和CCD响应补偿来提高频谱OCT图像质量

在频谱光学相干析成像(频谱OCT)系统中普遍使用的CCD采样的数据是波长的函数。CCD对不同波长的信号具有不同的响应,而且图像重建进行的傅里叶逆变换所需要的数据是波数的函数,忽略这两个问题对频谱OCT成像质量的影响比较大。基于以上分析,提出了响应度补偿法和波长数据-波数数据转换线性补偿法,并对样品进行了实验验证。实验结果表明,该方法能够将OCT图像的信噪比(SNR) 提高约30%,明显改善了图像质量。     

并行频域OCT图像预处理系统

鉴于传统的时域光学相干层析成像(TDOCT)扫描过程复杂以及基于计算机的数据处理系统速度低,设计了基于ADI公司的双核、高速视频处理芯片ADSP-BF561的并行频域OCT(PSDOCT)图像预处理系统,无需横向和轴向扫描直接得到二维层析图像.实验结果表明:基于实序列IFFT算法、插值查表取模算法、双核并行处理技术及流水线处理技术的软件设计提高了系统的图像处理速度.该系统对横向扫描宽度为2.5 mm的1帧图像(180×512)进行处理需要的时间约为9 ms,轴向分辨率和横向分辨率分别达到17.4μm、14.1μm,灰度值误差为0.205%.满足实时精确成像的要求.     

基于光学相干层析成像技术的薄膜厚度测量

为了对薄膜厚度进行测量,采用白光谱域光学相干层析成像的测量方法,进行了理论分析和实验验证,对以玻璃为基片的单层和多层薄膜样品进行了层析成像实验,获得了样品的2维层析图像。结果表明,该系统不仅能显示薄膜样品内部的微观结构,而且能从2维层析图像中得到单层和多层薄膜的厚度(分别为68μm和30μm),测量值与理论值相吻合,从而验证了测量理论正确性。该系统具有较高分辨率,可实现快速成像,满足实际工业测量需要。     

DGS结构参数对其反射特性的影响

设计了一种周期缺陷接地（DGS）结构,运用谱域法对所设计的DGS结构进行仿真分析。主要讨论单元尺寸a、基板介电常数、介质厚度、微带线宽度w以及狭缝的宽度g对阻带特性的影响。结果表明,单元尺寸、介电常数、介质厚度对阻带特性影响较大;微带线宽度w以及狭缝的宽度g对阻带特性的影响较小。带隙中心频率f0随着单元尺寸、介电常数、介质厚度的增大而减小。     

Modelling of GaAs-MMIC microstrip line up to 40 GHz

Modelling of MMIC multidielectric microstrip line on GaAs substrate for its precise characterization has been presented in this article. An accurate design database for the characteristic parameters of the microstrip line, namely, effective dielectric constant, characteristic impedance, and attenuation coefficient, has been generated using the spectral-domain method (SDM). The accuracy of the developed database for the frequency range 1 to 40 GHz has been verified with the experimental results. On-wafer measurements have been carried out to minimize the parasitic losses at the high frequencies and the effect of CPW-pads has been de-embedded from the measured S-parameters to obtained accurate characteristic parameters of the microstrip line. The theoretical and the measured values of the characteristic parameters of microstrip lines show good agreement within 1% to 2%. This work is expected to be useful in GaAs foundries for accurate MMIC-CAD modelling of microstrip lines up to 40 GHz. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 14, 475–482, 2004.