Control of artificial membrane fusion in physiological ionic solutions beyond the limits of electroformation.

Membrane fusion, merging two lipid bilayers, is crucial for fabricating artificial membrane structures. Over the past 40 years, in contrast to precise and controllable membrane fusion in-vivo through specific molecules such as SNAREs, controlling the fusion in-vitro while fabricating artificial membrane structures in physiological ionic solutions without fusion proteins has been a challenge, becoming a significant obstacle to practical applications. We present an approach consisting of an electric field and a few kPa hydraulic pressure as an additional variable to physically control the fusion, enabling tuning of the shape and size of the 3D freestanding lipid bilayers in physiological ionic solutions. Mechanical model analysis reveals that pressure-induced parallel/normal tensions enhance fusion among membranes in the microwell. In-vitro peptide-membrane assay, mimicking vesicular transport via pressure-assisted fusion, and stability of 38 days with in-chip pressure control via pore size-regulated hydrogel highlight the potential for diverse biological applications.

EGT022, an RGD-containing recombinant disintegrin, inhibits the VEGF-induced angiogenic process by targeting integrin ß3 in endothelial cells.

OBJECTIVES: EGT022, an RGD-containing recombinant disintegrin from human ADAM metallopeptidase domain 15 (ADAM15), has been reported to stimulate vascular maturation of retinal blood vessels with promotion of pericyte coverage through binding to integrin αIIbß3. Previous studies have reported that angiogenesis can be inhibited by several RGD motif-containing disintegrins; however, the effect of EGT022 on Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis has not yet been determined. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the anti-angiogenic function of EGT022 in VEGF-induced endothelial cells. METHODS: A proliferation and migration assay was performed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) cells stimulated with VEGF to determine whether the angiogenic process was suppressed by EGT022. An in vitro trans-well assay and Mile's permeability assay were performed to determine the effect of EGT022 on permeability. Western blot was performed in order to further determine whether EGT022 can inhibit phosphorylation of VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR2) and Phospholipase C gamma1 (PLC-γ1). An integrin binding assay and luciferase assay were performed for identification of the integrin target of EGT022. RESULTS: Angiogenesis including proliferation, migration, tube formation, and permeability was significantly inhibited by EGT022 in HUVEC cells. Our findings also demonstrated that EGT022 binds directly to integrin αvß3, induces dephosphorylation of integrin ß3, and inhibits phosphorylation of VEGFR2. In addition, phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 and activation of Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cell (NFAT), a downstream pathway of VEGF, are inhibited by EGT022 in HUVEC cells. CONCLUSION: These results clearly demonstrate the anti-angiogenic role played by EGT022 as a potent antagonist of integrin ß3 in endothelial cells.

Probiotic-derived p8 protein induce apoptosis via regulation of RNF152 in colorectal cancer cells.

Worldwide, colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers and is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotics suppress the development of various cancers including CRC. Recently, we reported a Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR)-derived 8 kDa protein (p8) that displayed anti-cancer properties in CRC cells. However, the precise anti-cancer mechanism of p8 and its target genes has not been fully examined. In the present study, we reveal that p8 leads to apoptotic cells and cleaved PARP1 expression in a mouse xenograft model of CRC. Additionally, we identified Ring finger protein 152 (RNF152) as a putative target of p8 using RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, the expression levels of RNF152 were increased following in vivo and in vitro treatment with p8. We also found that p8 leads to the accumulation of cleaved PARP1 in CRC cells. These results suggest that p8 induces apoptosis via regulation of RNF152, thus inhibiting the development of CRC.

Spread spectrum SERS allows label-free detection of attomolar neurotransmitters.

The quantitative label-free detection of neurotransmitters provides critical clues in understanding neurological functions or disorders. However, the identification of neurotransmitters remains challenging for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) due to the presence of noise. Here, we report spread spectrum SERS (ss-SERS) detection for the rapid quantification of neurotransmitters at the attomolar level by encoding excited light and decoding SERS signals with peak autocorrelation and near-zero cross-correlation. Compared to conventional SERS measurements, the experimental result of ss-SERS shows an exceptional improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of more than three orders of magnitude, thus achieving a high temporal resolution of over one hundred times. The ss-SERS measurement further allows the attomolar SERS detection of dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate without Raman reporters. This approach opens up opportunities not only for investigating the early diagnostics of neurological disorders or highly sensitive biomedical SERS applications but also for developing low-cost spectroscopic biosensing applications.

Association between Shift Work and Neurocognitive Function among Firefighters in South Korea: A Prospective Before-After Study.

Background: Recent research indicates that shift work is associated with neurocognitive function. However, studies that examine the association between shift work and neurocognitive function in firefighters have not yet been performed. We examined the effect of shift work on neurocognitive function in firefighters by measuring and comparing neurocognitive function before and after night shift. Methods: 352 firefighters from eight fire stations in South Korea were included in this study. We performed neurocognitive function test using central nervous system vital signs (CNSVS) during daytime work and on the next day after night work. We performed paired t-tests to assess differences between neurocognitive function before and after night work. We also compared neurocognitive function in insomnia and depression. We used a general linear model to analyze the associations between shiftwork schedule and the changes in neurocognitive function. Results: The neurocognitive function significantly decreased in six domains (composite memory, verbal memory, visual memory, complex attention, psychomotor speed, and motor speed) as did the neurocognitive index on the next day after night work compared with during day work. These decreased domains were the same following night work regardless of the type of shift work. Conclusion: Night work in firefighters may cause neurocognitive decline.

Colorectal Cancer Therapy Using a Pediococcus pentosaceus SL4 Drug Delivery System Secreting Lactic Acid Bacteria-Derived Protein p8.

Despite decades of research into colorectal cancer (CRC), there is an ongoing need for treatments that are more effective and safer than those currently available. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) show beneficial effects in the context of several diseases, including CRC, and are generally regarded as safe. Here, we isolated a Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR)-derived therapeutic protein, p8, which suppressed CRC proliferation. We found that p8 translocated specifically to the cytosol of DLD-1 cells. Moreover, p8 down-regulated expression of Cyclin B1 and Cdk1, both of which are required for cell cycle progression. We confirmed that p8 exerted strong anti-proliferative activity in a mouse CRC xenograft model. Intraperitoneal injection of recombinant p8 (r-p8) led to a significant reduction (up to 59%) in tumor mass when compared with controls. In recent years, bacterial drug delivery systems (DDSs) have proven to be effective therapeutic agents for acute colitis. Therefore, we aimed to use such systems, particularly LAB, to generate the valuable therapeutic proteins to treat CRC. To this end, we developed a gene expression cassette capable of inducing secretion of large amounts of p8 protein from Pediococcus pentosaceus SL4 (PP). We then confirmed that this protein (PP-p8) exerted anti-proliferative activity in a mouse CRC xenograft model. Oral administration of PP-p8 DDS led to a marked reduction in tumor mass (up to 64%) compared with controls. The PP-p8 DDS using LAB described herein has advantages over other therapeutics; these advantages include improved safety (the protein is a probiotic), cost-free purification, and specific targeting of CRC cells.

Anti-Colorectal Cancer Effects of Probiotic-Derived p8 Protein.

Recently, we reported a novel therapeutic probiotic-derived protein, p8, which has anti-colorectal cancer (anti-CRC) properties. In vitro experiments using a CRC cell line (DLD-1), anti-proliferation activity (about 20%) did not improve after increasing the dose of recombinant-p8 (r-p8) to >10 µM. Here, we show that this was due to the low penetrative efficiency of r-p8 exogenous treatment. Furthermore, we found that r-p8 entered the cytosol through endocytosis, which might be a reason for the low penetration efficiency. Therefore, to improve the therapeutic efficacy of p8, we tried to improve delivery to CRC cells. This resulted in endogenous expression of p8 and increased the anti-proliferative effects by up to 2-fold compared with the exogenous treatment (40 µM). Anti-migration activity also increased markedly. Furthermore, we found that the anti-proliferation activity of p8 was mediated by inhibition of the p53-p21-Cyclin B1/Cdk1 signal pathway, resulting in growth arrest at the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Taken together, these results suggest that p8 is toxic to cancer cells, shows stable expression within cells, and shows strong cancer suppressive activity by inducing cell cycle arrest. Therefore, p8 is a strong candidate for gene therapy if it can be loaded onto cancer-specific viruses.

Increased risk of thyroid cancer in female residents nearby nuclear power plants in Korea: was it due to detection bias?

BACKGROUND: The Korea Radiation Effect & Epidemiology Cohort - The resident cohort (KREEC-R) study concluded that there is no epidemiological or causal evidence supporting any increase in cancer risks resulting from radiation from Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs). But the risks of thyroid cancer in women were significantly higher in residents living near NPPs than control. Debate about the cause of the pattern of thyroid cancer incidence in women is ongoing and some researchers argue that detection bias influenced the result of KREEC-R study. Therefore there was a need to investigate whether residents living near NPPs who were assessed in the KREEC-R were actually tested more often for thyroid cancer. We evaluated the possibility of detection bias in the finding of the KREEC-R study based on materials available at this time. METHODS: Using the KREEC-R raw data, we calculated age standardized rates (ASRs) of female thyroid cancer and re-analyzed the results of survey on the use of medical services. We also marked the administrative districts of residents who received the Radiation Health Research Institute (RHRI) health examinations and those in which thyroid cancer case occurred as per the Chonnam National University Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) final report on maps where the locations of NPPs and 5 km-radii around them were also indicated. And we compared the incidence rates of Radiation-induced cancer measured between the first period when RHRI health examinations were not yet implemented, and the second period when the RHRI health examinations were implemented. RESULTS: The ASR for the far-distance group, which comprised residents living in areas outside the 30 km radius of the NPPs, increased rapidly after 2000; however, that of the exposed group, which comprised residents living within a 5 km radius of the NPPs, started to increase rapidly even before 1995. The frequencies of the use of medical services were significantly higher in the intermediate proximate group, which comprised residents living within a 5-30 km radius of the NPPs, than in the exposed group in women. In case of female thyroid cancer, the second period ASR was higher than the first period ASR, but in case of female liver cancer and female stomach cancer no significant difference were observed between the periods. On map, many administrative districts of residents who received RHRI health examinations and most administrative districts in which thyroid cancer case occurred on RIMS final report were outside 5 km-radii around NPPs. CONCLUSIONS: We could not find any evidence supporting the assertion that detection bias influenced the increased risks of female thyroid cancer observed in the exposed group of the KREEC-R study, as opposed to the control group.

Reanalysis of Epidemiological Investigation of Cancer Risk among People Residing near Nuclear Power Plants in South Korea.

Background: A 20-year follow-up study on cancer incidence among people living near nuclear power plants in South Korea ended in 2011 with a finding of significantly, but inconsistently, elevated thyroid cancer risk for females. Reanalysis of the original study was carried out to examine the dose-response relationship further, and to investigate any evidence of detection bias. Methods: In addition to replicating the original Cox proportional hazards models, nested case-control analysis was carried out for all subjects and for four different birth cohorts to examine the effects of excluding participants with pre-existing cancer history at enrollment. The potential for detection bias was investigated using the records of medical utilization and voluntary health checks of comparison groups. Results: The overall risk profile of the total sample was similar to that of the original study. However, in the stratified analysis of four birth cohorts, the cancer risk among people living near nuclear power plants became higher in younger birth cohorts. This was especially true for thyroid cancers of females (hazard ratio (HR) 3.38) and males (HR 1.74), female breast cancers (HR 2.24), and radiation-related cancers (HR 1.59 for males, HR 1.77 for females), but not for radiation-insensitive cancers (HR 0.59 for males, HR 0.98 for females). Based on medical records and health check reports, we found no differences between comparison groups that could have led to detection bias. Conclusions: The overall results suggest elevated risk of radiation-related cancers among residents living near nuclear power plants, controlling for the selective survival effect. This is further supported by the lack of evidence of detection bias and by records of environmental exposure from radiation waste discharge.

In vivo Microscopic Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring Invulnerable to Skin Secretion Products.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy has been shown to be a promising tool for non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. However, the repeatability of such a method is susceptible to changes in skin condition, which is dependent on hand washing and drying due to the high absorption of infrared excitation light to the skin secretion products or water. In this paper, we present a method to meet the challenges of mid-infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy for non-invasive glucose monitoring. By obtaining the microscopic spatial information of skin during the spectroscopy measurement, the skin region where the infrared spectra is insensitive to skin condition can be locally selected, which enables reliable prediction of the blood glucose level from the photoacoustic spectroscopy signals. Our raster-scan imaging showed that the skin condition for in vivo spectroscopic glucose monitoring had significant inhomogeneities and large variability in the probing area where the signal was acquired. However, the selective localization of the probing led to a reduction in the effects of variability due to the skin secretion product. Looking forward, this technology has broader applications not only in continuous glucose monitoring for diabetic patient care, but in forensic science, the diagnosis of malfunctioning sweat pores, and the discrimination of tumors extracted via biopsy.

Purification and Characterization of Vitellin from the Egg of the Suminoe Oyster Crassostrea ariakensis and Cross-Reactivity of Anti-vitellin Antibody with Other Marine Invertebrate Egg Proteins.

A polyclonal antibody specific to an egg protein of Suminoe oyster Crassostrea ariakensis was previously developed in our laboratory to assess the reproductive life cycle of the oyster. The present study was undertaken to investigate vitellin of C. ariakensis (CAVt). Vitellin is an essential component of egg proteins in marine invertebrates as it provides energy and nutrients to the embryo and larvae. CAVt was purified from eggs of the oyster using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by affinity chromatography with Concanavalin A-agarose. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate PAGE showed that CAVt is a high molecular weight [532 kiloDaltons (kDa)] protein, with multiple subunits. Similar to other vitellin proteins, it is a phospholipoglycoprotein composed of phospholipids (12.06%), carbohydrates (mannose, 10.08% or glucose, 9.84%), and alkali-labile phosphates (4.16%). Affinity chromatography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent aasay (ELISA) and western blot analysis revealed that CAVt is only present in the ovary, and two subunits of CAVt (72 and 35 kDa) are believed to be incorporated from the hemolymph into the oocyte. The antibody specific to CAVt (anti-CAVt), raised in rabbit, strongly cross reacted with the egg proteins of oyster species and scallops, suggesting that the antigenic epitopes are highly conserved among species. Our results suggest that the anti-CAVt antibody can be used to develop a tool similar to ELISA or western blotting for investigation of the effect of microorganisms on reproduction as well as the effect of chemicals on the endocrine system in C. ariakensis.

The work-relatedness at a case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a radiation oncologist.

BACKGROUND: Clinicians who perform radiation therapy (RT) are exposed to radiation, which may negatively affect their health. The present study reports a case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a healthcare provider who was exposed to radiation at work; we also present a literature review of this topic. CASE PRESENTATION: A 45-year-old patient, who had been a radiation oncologist and had been exposed to radiation while performing brachytherapy 10 years ago, complained of chest pain and was suspected of having leukemia based on the results of a blood test in an outpatient clinic. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and subsequently underwent chemotherapy. However, the case died during treatment. Through epidemiological investigation, it was found that the case's cumulative exposure dose based on personal exposure and spatial dose measured during the work period was in the range of 6.08-12.15 mSv. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the following considerations, acute lymphoblastic leukemia was highly correlated with the level of radiation to which the case was exposed while performing brachytherapy on patients with cancer. Firstly, the latent period of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the case closely matched the latency time reported in previous published studies (5-10 years). In addition, numerous studies have reported significantly higher relative risks of cancer among clinicians who perform RT compared with the general population. The case was also atypically exposed to radiation through his hands, despite wearing protective equipment. Lastly, the case's coworkers were also found to have been exposed to high levels of radiation. Investigation into the influence of radiation exposure through atypical routes during RT on the health of clinicians is recommended.

Photoacoustic imaging probe for detecting lymph nodes and spreading of cancer at various depths.

We propose a compact and easy to use photoacoustic imaging (PAI) probe structure using a single strand of optical fiber and a beam combiner doubly reflecting acoustic waves for convenient detection of lymph nodes and cancers. Conventional PAI probes have difficulty detecting lymph nodes just beneath the skin or simultaneously investigating lymph nodes located in shallow as well as deep regions from skin without any supplementary material because the light and acoustic beams are intersecting obliquely in the probe. To overcome the limitations and improve their convenience, we propose a probe structure in which the illuminated light beam axis coincides with the axis of the ultrasound. The developed PAI probe was able to simultaneously achieve a wide range of images positioned from shallow to deep regions without the use of any supplementary material. Moreover, the proposed probe had low transmission losses for the light and acoustic beams. Therefore, the proposed PAI probe will be useful to easily detect lymph nodes and cancers in real clinical fields.

Synergetic Resonance Matching of a Microphone and a Photoacoustic Cell.

We propose an approach to match the resonant characteristics of a photoacoustic cell with that of a microphone in order to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in the photoacoustic sensor system. The synergetic resonance matching of a photoacoustic cell and a microphone was achieved by observing that photoacoustic cell resonance is merged with microphone resonance, in addition to conducting numerical and analytical simulations. Using this approach, we show that the signal-to-noise ratio was increased 3.5-fold from the optimized to non-optimized cell in the photoacoustic spectroscopy system. The present work is expected to have a broad impact on a number of applications, from improving weak photoacoustic signals in photoacoustic spectroscopy to ameliorating various sensors that use acoustic resonant filters.

Decreased expression of VLDLR is inversely correlated with miR-200c in human colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers and has a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Very-low-density-lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), a member of the low-density-lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) superfamily, is a multifunctional receptor that regulates cellular signaling by binding numerous ligands. Several studies reported the altered expression of VLDLR and suggested that VLDLR may play a critical role in tumor development by affecting cell proliferation and metastasis. However, the function of VLDLR and regulation of its expression by miRNAs have not been investigated in CRC. In the present study, we investigated the expression of VLDLR in CRC patients and found it to be significantly decreased in tumors in comparison with paired adjacent non-tumor tissues. Moreover, VLDLR over-expression inhibited the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. We also found that VLDLR expression was negatively regulated by miR-200c in CRC cells and that their expression levels were inversely correlated in CRC patients. These data suggest that VLDLR down-regulation mediated by the increased expression of miR-200c may be involved in the development of CRC.

Mouse-specific up-regulation of Ccnb1 expression by miR-199a-5p in keratinocyte.

MicroRNA (miRNA) are a class of single-stranded, small non-coding RNA that regulate various biological processes, including skin and hair cycle regulation, by modulating the expression of specific genes at the post-transcriptional level. Recently, several studies reported that miRNA directly or indirectly up-regulate target genes. Previously, we performed microarray analysis to identify the target genes of miR-199a-5p in a mouse skin keratinocyte cell line and detected more than 200 genes whose expression was significantly increased by miR-199a-5p overexpression (> 1.5-fold). In this study, we further investigated these genes and found that cyclin B1 (Ccnb1) expression was positively regulated by miR-199a-5p in keratinocyte. Moreover, Ccnb1 expression was inversely correlated with miR-199a-5p expression during the mouse hair cycle. Cell cycle analysis showed that the proportion of cells in S phase was slightly increased, while the proportion of cells in G2/M phase decreased by miR-199-5p. Using luciferase assay, we found that the 3' untranslated region of Ccnb1 was a direct target of miR-199a-5p. We also found that the regulation of Ccnb1 expression by miR-199a-5p is mouse specific. CCNB1 expression was not affected in the human and monkey cell lines. These results provide a new relationship between Ccnb1 and miR-199a-5p in both mouse keratinocyte and miRNA biology.

Regulation of Srpr Expression by miR-330-5p Controls Proliferation of Mouse Epidermal Keratinocyte.

Srpr is a gene encoding α subunit of the signal recognition particle receptor which is involved in the targeting and translocation of nascent secretory and membrane proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum. Previous studies showed aberrant expression of Srpr in several cell types with abnormal growth rate. Although Srpr is expressed in various tissues including skin, the role of Srpr in keratinocytes and regulation of its expression by miRNAs have not been studied. In this study, we investigated the role of SRPR and regulation of its expression by miRNA in skin keratinocytes. We found that SRPR was highly expressed in epidermal keratinocytes and regulated keratinocyte proliferation by affecting cell cycle progression. We also demonstrated that miR-330-5p directly inhibits Srpr expression. These data suggest that miR-330-5p-mediated regulation of the SRPR level is needed for the regulation of proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes.

The effect of aircraft noise on sleep disturbance among the residents near a civilian airport: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Aircraft noise is a major environmental noise problem. This study was conducted in order to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance and exposure to aircraft noise on the residents who are living near an airport. METHODS: There were 3308 residents (1403 in the high exposure group, 1428 in the low exposure group, and 477 in the non-exposure group) selected as the subjects for this study. The Insomnia severity Index (ISI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaires were used to evaluate sleep disturbance. RESULTS: The mean ISI and ESS scores were 6.9 ± 6.4 and 5.5 ± 3.7, respectively, and the average scores were significantly greater in the aircraft noise exposure group, as compared to the non-exposure group. The percentage of the abnormal subjects, which were classified according to the results of the ISI and ESS, was also significantly greater in the noise exposure group, as compared to the control group. The odd ratios for insomnia and daytime hypersomnia were approximately 3 times higher in the noise exposure group, as compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of insomnia and daytime hypersomnia was higher in the aircraft noise exposure group, as compared to the control group. Further study is deemed necessary in order to clarify the causal relationship.

MicroRNA-330-5p negatively regulates ITGA5 expression in human colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most prevalent malignant cancers, has high rates pf incidence and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths for both men and women worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the development of various types of cancers. miRNA­330-5p has been implicated in the progression of prostate, neuronal and pancreatic cancers by regulating proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of miR-330-5p in CRC and identify its target gene(s) that may act in CRC tumorigenesis. We found that miR-330-5p expression was significantly lower in CRC tissues than that in adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Furthermore, we identified integrin α5 (ITGA5) as a new target of miR-330-5p and found that it inhibits ITGA5 expression by directly binding to the 3' untranslated region of ITGA5 mRNA. These results suggest that downregulation of miR-330-5p expression may affect CRC development via modulation of ITGA5 expression.

Gain-switched Ti:sapphire laser-based photoacoustic imaging.

We demonstrate photoacoustic (PA) imaging using a compact gain-switched Ti:sapphire laser. Additionally, a simple laser configuration is provided. The Ti:sapphire laser is pumped using a frequency-doubled pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet pulse laser operating at a repetition rate of 10 Hz, with a pump energy of 37 mJ. No water cooling is required for the Ti:sapphire crystal. The output pulse energy and pulse duration of the laser are 13.6 mJ and 11 ns, respectively. Thus, the power conversion efficiency is 36.7%. As the end mirror in a laser cavity is adjusted in a horizontal direction, the output wavelength can be tuned within a range of 725-880 nm with a spectral bandwidth of approximately 1 nm. The laser has a small footprint size of 50 cm×35 cm including even laser pumping. Because the near-infrared region has significant advantages in the context of absorption and scattering in biological tissues, our laser can be used for PA imaging. Apart from obtaining PA images of a tube filled with indocyanine green immersed in water and placed under chicken breast tissue, our laser system could also be used for the simultaneous PA and ultrasound (US) dual-modality imaging of blood vessels lying beneath the skin of a human middle finger. We used a commercially available US machine for the PA and US dual-modality imaging.