Three-dimensional nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratios provide better discrimination of normal and lung adenocarcinoma cells than in two dimensions.

We acquired multiphoton images of normal and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines in three dimensions. Image stacks of the cells were then processed to obtain nucleus-to-cytoplasm (N/C) ratios in two and three dimensions. While N/C ratios in three dimensions can be unambiguously determined from the volumetric ratios of the nucleus and cytoplasm, two-dimensional (2-D) N/C can vary depending on the axial plane selected for N/C ratio determination. We determined 2-D N/C ratios from three criteria: (1) axial position at which the nuclear area is the largest; (2) the largest 2-D N/C ratio value; and (3) axial position at the midpoint of nuclear axial position. We found that different definitions of 2-D N/C ratio will significantly affect its value. Furthermore, in general, larger variance was found in 2-D rather than three-dimensional (3-D) N/C ratios. Lack of ambiguity in definition and reduced variance suggest that 3-D N/C ratio is a better parameter for characterizing tumor cells in the clinical setting.

Titanosilicates with Strong Phase-Matched Second Harmonic Generation Responses.

The search for new and efficient nonlinear optical (NLO) materials has been an active research because of their technological importance in laser applications. Although a large number of frequency-doubling oxides, phosphates, borates, and fluoride-containing borates were found, no transition-metal silicate with useful NLO properties has been reported. We have now synthesized and grown crystals of two new titanosilicates, Li2K4[(TiO)Si4O12] and Li2Rb4[(TiO)Si4O12], by using a flux and supercritical hydrothermal method. Their unique 3D framework structures contain highly compressed TiO5 square pyramids which are arranged one over the other to form infinite ···Ti-O···Ti-O straight chains with alternating short and long Ti-O distances. These two materials meet the requirements for efficient second harmonic generation including lack of center of inversion symmetry, large susceptibility, phase matching, transmitting at wavelengths of interest, resistant to laser damage, and thermally stable. These attributes make them very attractive for frequency-doubling materials.