The introduction of innovative light sources, fibre laser sources and light emitting diodes, is opening unexpected perspectives into optical techniques and is promising new exciting applications in the field of biomedicine. Lasers and Current Optical Techniques in Biology aims to provide an overview of light sources, together with an extensive and authoritative description of the optical techniques in bio-medicine. This book is designed to give biomedical researchers a strong feel for the capability of physical approaches, promote new interdisciplinary interests and persuade more practitioners to take advantage of optical techniques. Current developments in a variety of optical techniques, including Near-Infra Red Spectroscopy, and traditional and advanced fluorescence techniques are covered, ranging from those that are becoming common practice to those that need much more experimentation before they can be accepted as real breakthroughs. Further topics include optical coherence tomography and its variations, polarised light imaging and, principle laser and lamp sources- a usually fragmentary topic, often dispersed among specialist publications. The wide range of topics covered make Lasers and Current Optical Techniques in Biology of interest to a diverse range of scientific communities.

The diversity of the chapters presented in this volume illustrates not only the many applications of lasers, but also the fact that, in many cases, these are not new uses of lasers, but rather improvements of laser techniques already widely accepted in both research and clinical situations. Biological reactions to some special aspects of laser exposure continue to show new effects, which have implications for the ever-present topic of laser safety. Such biological reactions are included in fields of research which depend on properties of electromagnetic radiation exposure only possible with lasers, for example, the short pulses necessary for the temperature-jump experiments reviewed by Reiss: Speciality lasers, such as the transverse excitation atmospheric (TEA) or excimer lasers, add new wavelengths and pulse domains to those already available for biological application. A description of these new types of lasers by Osgood is included to indicate new possibilities for future use and to avoid limiting our coverage to well-developed present-day applications. Hillenkamp and Kaufmann describe a microprobe mass spectrograph for analysis of the minute amounts of material evaporated by a laser pulse. The analytical possibilities of this instrument are far-reaching, and some of the various results are described to illustrate the power of their method, as well as to show the types of problems that are suitable for it. The initial steps in photosynthesis have become the subject of intensive investigation.

Optical science and engineering affect almost every aspect of our lives. Millions of miles of optical fiber carry voice and data signals around the world. Lasers are used in surgery of the retina, kidneys, and heart. New high-efficiency light sources promise dramatic reductions in electricity consumption. Night-vision equipment and satellite surveillance are changing how wars are fought. Industry uses optical methods in everything from the production of computer chips to the construction of tunnels. Harnessing Light surveys this multitude of applications, as well as the status of the optics industry and of research and education in optics, and identifies actions that could enhance the field's contributions to society and facilitate its continued technical development.

The increasing use of lasers and fiber optics in medicine has created a need for an interdisciplinary perspective on their technology and methods. Written for physicians, engineers, and biophysicists, this book presents a comprehensive examination of lasers and optical fibers in a hierarchical organization. Each chapter is divided into three basic sections: the Fundamentals section provides an overview of basic concepts and background; the Principles section offers an in-depth engineering approach; and the Advances section features specific information on systems and biophysical parameters. Extensive coverage of how lasers interact with tissue, how optical fibers are used in endoscopic imaging, and how lasers and their fiber-optic systems are utilized in various medical disciplines is included. Those interested in the fields of lasers and fiber optics will find this book fascinating and instructive reading.

In the intervening years since the publication of Volume I, the develop ment of new uses for the various types of lasers has proceeded at a rate more rapid than even the most fanciful dreamers envisioned. Of course, the main effort has been on the laser itself-new wavelengths, shorter and longer time domains for pulses, increases in power, and, most important, greater reliability. In its first stage the laser was described as a solution in search of a problem. The production of holograms was one problem whose solution seemed to involve large number of lasers. However that proposal had its own difficulties, for the hologram itself was described as a solution searching for a problem. But all of that now is a chapter from ancient history . On the current scene the laser is used in industrial pro duction lines, as a classroom item at all levels of education, and in com mercial usage such that the public is generally exposed to the laser devices themselves. Trial runs have been made, e. g. , of laser-based supermarket checkout devices and as commercial exploitation of this item begins, cer tainly many more similar adaptations will follow. However, the shift in emphasis from research usage of lasers to de velopment and production has been relative rather than absolute. The use of the laser in research has not lessened; rather it has grown at as fast a pace. Yet a similar trend is seen there also.

In regenerative medicine, tissue engineers largely rely on destructive and time-consuming techniques that do not allow in situ and spatial monitoring of tissue growth. Furthermore, once the therapy is implanted in the patient, clinicians are often unable to monitor what is happening in the body. To tackle these barriers, optical techniques have bee

Volume 55 in Methods in Cell Biology is a concise laboratory book that emphasizes the methods and technologies needed to use single polarized laser light source that functions simultaneously as an optical trap and a dual-beam interferometer. * * Provides a practical laboratory guide for methods and technologies used with laser tweezers* Includes comprehensive and easy-to-follow protocols