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        <title>Frontiers in Photonics | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/photonics</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Photonics | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-08-05T19:27:41.659+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1755191</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1755191</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Closed-form Fresnel analysis of double-slit diffraction with multi-wave coherent illumination]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>J. Sumaya-Martínez</author><author>M. A. Ortiz-Ferreyro</author><author>O. Rojas-Hernandez</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionDouble-slit diffraction remains a foundational problem in wave optics, but most closed-form treatments assume single-wave illumination. In many modern optical systems, multi-wave coherent illumination is used to tailor the spatial spectrum of the field and engineer structured diffraction patterns.MethodsWe present an analytical and numerical study of double-slit diffraction under coherent illumination by three plane waves: one normally incident and two symmetrically tilted at angles ± θ. By imposing an edge-zero condition on the incident field at the slit boundaries, we derive compact closed-form Fresnel expressions in terms of standard Fresnel integrals. The formalism is extended to an arbitrary number of coherent beams and further generalized to include scalar partial coherence, transverse coherence decay, and Gaussian-beam illumination. Numerical Fresnel propagation is used to validate the analytical formulas.ResultsThe analytical and numerical results show excellent agreement over the parameter ranges studied. The model enables direct control of the transmitted angular spectrum through the choice of incidence angles and phases. Partial coherence reduces fringe visibility while preserving the overall envelope, and Gaussian illumination suppresses sidelobes while slightly broadening the main lobe. The framework also provides a practical route to engineer apodized and quasi-robust diffraction profiles.DiscussionMulti-wave coherent illumination provides a simple and flexible mechanism for diffraction-pattern engineering in double-slit systems. The results are relevant to structured illumination, apodization, beam shaping, interference lithography, and coherent multiplexing, and they offer a feasible basis for experimental validation in laboratory optical setups.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1917795</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1917795</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Advances in optical methods for biological sample characterization]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Eden Morales-Narváez</author><author>Remy Avila</author><author>Pablo Loza-Alvarez</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1864447</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1864447</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Plasmonic metasurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for label-free discrimination of human and murine noroviruses]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Bryan Guilcapi</author><author>Alessia Milano</author><author>Amalia D’Avino</author><author>Domenico Sagnelli</author><author>Massimo Rippa</author><author>Valentina Marchesano</author><author>Giovanna Fusco</author><author>Lucia Petti</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Noroviruses are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, and their rapid and reliable detection remains a significant challenge for current diagnostic technologies. In this work, we present a plasmonic metasurface platform based on Y-shaped nanocavity arrays designed for label-free viral detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The nanostructured metasurface was fabricated using electron-beam lithography and engineered to support plasmonic resonances near the 785 nm excitation wavelength, enabling strong electromagnetic field localization and Raman signal enhancement. SERS measurements were performed on human norovirus (HNoV) and murine norovirus (MNV), producing distinct vibrational fingerprints associated with viral capsid biomolecules. Despite the structural similarity between both viruses, multivariate statistical analysis based on principal component analysis (PCA) enabled clear discrimination between their spectral signatures, with the first two principal components explaining more than 98% of the total variance captured. These results demonstrate that plasmonic metasurfaces combined with SERS fingerprinting and statistical analysis provide a powerful strategy for the label-free identification of closely related viral pathogens. The proposed platform highlights the potential of nanophotonic biosensors for rapid pathogen detection in biomedical diagnostics and environmental monitoring.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1832085</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1832085</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mitigating thermal and nonlinear lensing for optimized performance in nonlinear optical scattering]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ahmet R. Dok</author><author>Thibaut Legat</author><author>Yovan de Coene</author><author>Stijn Van Cleuvenbergen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nonlinear optical light scattering is used in a wide range of applications, from screening organic electro-optic materials to analyzing the structure and chemistry of buried interfaces in colloidal and biological systems. It is also applied in real-time studies, such as monitoring nucleation and crystal growth. Given that NLO effects are intrinsically weak, experiments require high laser power to achieve measurable signals. However, the onset of nonlinear effects, such as thermal and Kerr lensing, limits the maximum laser power that can be applied, which in turn limits the signal strength. In this study, we systematically investigated the impact of thermal and Kerr lensing on hyper-Rayleigh scattering experiments in pure water and a methanolic solution of para-nitro aniline, using an amplified femtosecond laser system with medium-range repetition rates (100–500 kHz). Through systematic evaluation of focusing optics, cuvette path length, and laser repetition rate and carefully managing these effects we achieved significant gains in signal strength, allowing sub-millisecond measurements for pure water and para-nitroaniline, while avoiding photodegradation of the organic compound. These findings present a practical route to harness the available power more effectively, by balancing intensity and undesired lensing effects. This optimization is crucial for advancing the capabilities of nonlinear optical scattering techniques, enabling time-resolved measurements across a wide range of chemical and biological systems, from aggregation and nucleation to the dynamic measurement of adsorption, surface potentials, hydrogen-bonding networks. Our results also extend to biomedical applications such as real-time volumetric imaging of tissue morphology, label-free monitoring of cellular metabolism and dynamic processes in living tissues and organisms.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1858154</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1858154</link>
        <title><![CDATA[To label or not to label? The paradox of small-molecule probes in biological characterization]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Mario E. Cuevas-Galindo</author><author>Arturo Jiménez-Sánchez</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Small-molecule fluorescent probes are simultaneously among the most enabling and the most conceptually destabilizing tools in modern cell biology. Their sensitivity, modularity, and compatibility with advanced microscopy have made it possible to visualize ions, metabolites, and reactive species in real time with subcellular resolution. Yet the same molecular features that make probes bright and targetable—high-affinity binding, lipophilic partitioning, organelle trapping, and excited-state reactivity—constitute measurement back-action. This mini-review critically examines this “observer effect” in biological imaging, focusing on how next-generation small-molecule probes can perturb the very physiology they aim to characterize. We contrast these perturbations with native (label-free) fluorescence monitoring using endogenous fluorophores (e.g., NAD(P)H, flavins and amino acids) and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). We use Ca2+ chelators/indicators as a concrete case study in which buffering competes with endogenous binding proteins and reshapes signaling kinetics and spatial patterning, and we discuss metabolic and subcellular interference from organelle-accumulating dyes (mitochondria and lysosomes), including the “dark toxicity” of lipophilic cations. We review phototoxicity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation mechanisms—triplet-state pathways and singlet oxygen formation—and compare their risks to label-free autofluorescence approaches. Finally, we evaluate “middle-ground” strategies (HaloTag/SNAP-tag, bioorthogonal fluorogenic chemistry, ratiometric sensing, FLIM) and propose design principles for “zero-perturbation” probes, arguing that label-free imaging is not an endpoint but a benchmark against which probe-enabled specificity must be continually validated.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1860010</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1860010</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Enabling photonic Kolmogorov-Arnold networks for ultra-fast inference]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ravi Pradip</author><author>Robin Janssen</author><author>Akhil Varri</author><author>Nico Gründel</author><author>Falk Ebert</author><author>Rodrigo Gordillo Durán</author><author>Timoteo Lee</author><author>Liam McRae</author><author>Julius Römer</author><author>Philipp Schmidt</author><author>Julian Rasmus Bankwitz</author><author>Frank Brückerhoff-Plückelmann</author><author>Holger Fröning</author><author>Wolfram Pernice</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence is increasingly deployed in time-critical systems that must convert information into action on sub-microsecond timescales. Integrated photonics offers a route to such low-latency computation, but scalable photonic neural networks remain limited by the lack of compact nonlinear elements. Existing approaches to photonic nonlinearities often rely on optical–electrical–optical conversion that introduces latency overhead, while faster receiverless nonlinear units have primarily been explored in multilayer perceptron architectures requiring large numbers of elements. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a fully CMOS-compatible silicon photonic nonlinear unit based on a photodiode–microring modulator and use it to construct a hardware-grounded model of photonic Kolmogorov–Arnold networks. The programmable photonic nonlinear transfer functions exhibit nanosecond-scale dynamics governed by carrier recombination, with a response time of approximately 8 ns. From static and dynamic measurements, we derive a differentiable physical model and evaluate photonic Kolmogorov–Arnold networks under realistic hardware constraints, including limited photodiode headroom, merge-only routing and finite on-chip integration density. We find that these photonic networks can accurately approximate structured multidimensional functions using compact architectures comprising only a few hundred nonlinear units. These results establish a hardware-grounded route to photonic Kolmogorov–Arnold networks and identify carrier-injection based nonlinearities as a practical building block for ultrafast optical inference.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1884316</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1884316</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Machine-learning-assisted photonic design: from fundamental physics to advanced devices]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Georgios D. Barmparis</author><author>Giorgos P. Tsironis</author><author>Demetri Psaltis</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1834287</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1834287</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The effect of Eu3+ ion on photoluminescence and scintillator properties in QS-P2O5-CaO-BaO-Gd2O3 glasses]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Juniastel Rajagukguk</author><author>Jonny H. Panggabean</author><author>Juniar Hutahaean</author><author>Howard Situmorang</author><author>Elyzabeth Simanullang</author><author>Chayani S. Sarumaha</author><author>Yotsakit Ruangtaweep</author><author>Jakrapong Kaewkhao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In this study, Eu3+-doped silica-phosphate with the composition (15-x) QS-50P2O5-15CaO-10BaO-10Gd2O3-xEu2O3 (with x = 0; 0.5; 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 mol%) were successfully synthesized using locally sourced quartz sand (QS) from Huta Ginjang, Indonesia via the melt-quenching method. The effect of Eu3+ concentration on the photoluminescence and scintillation-related properties was systematically investigated. UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectra revealed six characteristic bands attributed to intra 4f transitions of Eu3+ ions, namely, 7F0 →5L6 (∼394 nm), 7F0 →5D3 (∼413 nm), 7F0 →5D2 (∼464 nm), 7F1 → 5D1 (∼531 nm), and near-infrared transitions at ∼2100 nm and ∼2206 nm for 7F0→7F6 and 7F1 →7F6 transitions respectively. Photoluminescence analysis demonstrated intense red emission dominated by the 5D0 →7F2 transition at 613 nm, confirming the hypersensitive nature of Eu3+ ions in an asymmetric glass environment. Energy transfer from Gd3+ to Eu3+ was evidenced by lifetime reduction and enhanced emission intensity under UV excitation. Chromaticity analysis yielded stable red emission with high color purity (∼94%) and correlated color temperature around 2600 K. X-ray induced luminescence further confirmed the coexistence of Gd3+ (311 nm) and Eu3+ (613 nm) emissions, highlighting the scintillation potential of the glass system. These results demonstrate that Eu3+-doped QS–P2O5–CaO–BaO–Gd2O3 glasses are promising candidates for red-emitting photonic devices and radiation detection applications, with tunable optical performance governed by Eu3+ concentration.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1842429</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1842429</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Diffusive optics for medical imaging]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Ben Urban</author><author>António Miguel Morgado</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1826400</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1826400</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Quantum biology]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Marcelo Victor Pires de Sousa</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1732689</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1732689</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Introduction to quantum mechanics for applications in quantum biology: the case of the avian compass]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Fernando Parisio</author><author>Daniel Felinto</author><author>Matheus Cândia Araña</author><author>Pedro H. Alvarez</author><author>Marcelo Victor Pires de Sousa</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Quantum biology explores the possibility that fundamental quantum phenomena—such as coherence, tunneling, and entanglement—play functional roles in living systems. While biological environments are warm, wet, and noisy, making them seemingly inhospitable to quantum effects, a growing body of theoretical and experimental work suggests that quantum mechanics may influence processes at the molecular and cellular scale. In this review, we provide a concise introduction to the essential concepts of quantum mechanics most relevant to biology through an exploration of the radical pair mechanism, theorized to play a role in avian navigation during the migratory season. We examine the radical pair mechanism step-by-step from activation to recombination, introducing the concepts from quantum mechanics necessary to start to understand the full workings of the mechanism. By balancing pedagogical clarity with critical evaluation, this review aims to provide both newcomers and specialists with an accessible entry point into quantum biology and to point toward the interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1771907</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1771907</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correlation between forward and backward generated SHG images of biological tissue relating to collagen structure and biomechanics]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Maryame Boutkhil</author><author>Dale Moulding</author><author>Travis William Sawyer</author><author>Abby Wilson</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy has emerged as a powerful label-free tool for studying collagen microstructure in biological tissues, with increasing interest in the backward-detected signal due to its potential for translation to in vivo imaging contexts. The origin of backward-SHG signal is not fully understood and, as such, interpretation of images remains challenging, as it represents complex optical interactions. This has led to misinterpretations of the collagen structure of biological tissues. Using a custom optical chamber allowing bidirectional SHG imaging of the cornea under controlled pressure, we assessed the spatial relationship between features in backward images and the underlying structural features of collagen in the paired forward images. Collagen waviness (crimp) was identified to be a key structural feature responsible for periodic bands of fluctuating signal intensity in the backward SHG images. Additionally, we demonstrate the potential of SHG imaging for investigating the biomechanical mechanisms relating to collagen and build-upon previous theoretical and experimental frameworks explaining forward and backward signal generation and current limitations in their interpretation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1696425</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1696425</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Wavelength selection for laser design in mid-infrared spectroscopy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Miriam Aledda</author><author>Federico Marini</author><author>Bijay Kafle</author><author>Mehmet C. Erdem</author><author>Pranish Karki</author><author>Kristian H. Liland</author><author>Boris Zimmermann</author><author>Nils K. Afseth</author><author>Alessandra Biancolillo</author><author>Valeria Tafintseva</author><author>Kristin Tøndel</author><author>Volha Shapaval</author><author>Achim Kohler</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The development of miniaturized tunable laser sources for mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy has enabled portable, application-specific analytical devices. Recent advances in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) and interband cascade lasers (ICLs) allow precise wavelength emission in narrow spectral regions, such as 1700–1600 cm−1, which is critical for protein characterization. In this study, we evaluate machine learning techniques for selecting the most informative wavelengths to guide the design of tunable laser systems, and for their ability to account for specific constraints such as the possibility to do fine and coarse laser wavelength tuning. We focus on optimizing variable selection for a laser-based device targeting peptide analysis and protein quality assessment in hydrolysates as a case study. We compare sparse modelling techniques (SPLS), filter-based (SPA, CovSel, g-CovSel), and compression methods (PVS, PVR), and propose a new algorithm (w-CovSel) to assess their ability to reduce noise and isolate key spectral features. Our results highlight the potential of providing data-driven approaches to obtain laser design which enables high-performance MIR instrumentation tailored to specific analytical tasks.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1773615</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1773615</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A perspective of advances in optical methods for biological sample characterization]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Remy Avila</author><author>Eden Morales-Narváez</author><author>Pablo Loza-Alvarez</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Recent advances in optical methods for biological sample characterization reflect a profound shift driven by the convergence of photonic innovation, computational intelligence, and increasing biological complexity. In this Perspective, we present a concise overview and a forward-looking vision of five core domains that structure this Research Topic: advanced bioimaging technologies, next-generation optical biosensors, optical tweezers for nanoscale force measurements, particle tracking techniques, and artificial intelligence-driven data analysis. Rather than offering an exhaustive review, we highlight selected conceptual and technological developments, identify current limitations, and discuss emerging opportunities where integration across optical modalities and computational approaches may prove decisive. Particular emphasis is placed on multimodal and quantitative platforms, in situ and real-time measurements, high-throughput methodologies, and the growing role of physics-informed and on-the-fly artificial intelligence. By articulating common challenges and shared future directions across these five areas, this article aims to stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue, provide a unifying framework for the contributions collected in this Research Topic, and encourage further advances in optical technologies for probing complex biological systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1714572</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1714572</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Quantum-biological interface in biosensor design: detecting proteins with electrochemical aptasensor]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Leonardo Peres Chiaradia Costa</author><author>Marina Ribeiro Batistuti Sawazaki</author><author>Bassam Bachour Junior</author><author>Marcelo Mulato</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Electrochemical biosensors are promising tools for clinical diagnostics, yet challenges remain in extending sensitivity, linear range, and stability, particularly in complex biological matrices. Here, we report an electrochemical aptasensor for dengue NS1 protein detection based on a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of DNA aptamers, 6-mercapto-1-hexanol, and 6-ferrocenyl-hexanethiol, characterized using electrochemical capacitance spectroscopy (ECS). The aptamer:thiol ratio was optimized, with the 1:50 condition providing the best analytical performance. The platform achieved sensitivities of 0.18% ± 0.02% per decade in PBS and 0.21% ± 0.01% per decade in commercial human serum, within a linear range of 0.01–1,000 ng/mL. Limits of detection were 24.9 ng/mL in PBS and 25.8 ng/mL in serum. Although long-term stability decreased after 7–14 days, the sensor demonstrated robustness in both simple and complex medium. These results confirm the viability of aptamer-based ECS platforms for clinically relevant NS1 detection and represent a step toward integrating quantum-scale concepts into bioelectrochemical sensing.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1685128</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1685128</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mach–Zehnder interferometers incorporating electrochromic molecules for controlled single-photon detection]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Francesco Scotognella</author>
        <description><![CDATA[One particularly fruitful research in the fields of integrated photonics, carried out by a good number of physicists and engineers, concerns the study of different types of materials to be used to control the detection of photons, if not just single photons, in interferometers. In a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, which consists of two beam-splitters, two mirrors, and two detectors, a material that can cause a controlled change in the phase of light in one of the two arms of the interferometer consequently allows control of the probability of detection at the two detectors. In this work, we use an electrochromic molecule, N,N′-bis(cysteine)pyromellitic diimide (BCPD), that has a refractive index dependent on the applied electric field. We simulate the single-photon detection probability in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with direct light transmission and a waveguide-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer, consisting of two 3-dB couplers connected by two optical channel waveguides. With the employment of the non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism, we have simulated the conductance of BCPD. The results could be of interest in quantum communication.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1730347</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1730347</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Photobiomodulation therapy in neuropathic pain: mechanisms, evidence, and future directions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Daniel O. Martins</author><author>Igor R. C. Rocha</author><author>Linda R. Watkins</author><author>Marucia Chacur</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic and disabling condition resulting from injury or disease of the somatosensory system. Characterized by sensory disturbances such as allodynia, hyperalgesia, and spontaneous pain, NP remains a major clinical challenge due to the limited efficacy and significant side effects of conventional pharmacological treatments. In recent years, photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), also referred to as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for managing NP. PBMT involves the application of red or near-infrared light to biological tissues, triggering a range of photochemical and photophysical responses that enhance mitochondrial function, reduce oxidative stress, modulate inflammation, and support neural repair. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current evidence on PBMT for NP, integrating mechanistic insights with preclinical findings. We discuss the biological underpinnings of PBMT, including mitochondrial activation via cytochrome c oxidase, modulation of cytokines and oxidative stress markers, and upregulation of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF. Preclinical studies in well-established NP models (e.g., chronic constriction injury, spared nerve injury, diabetic neuropathy) demonstrate consistent analgesic effects and neuroprotective outcomes following both local and remote/systemic PBMT applications. We also highlight key limitations and knowledge gaps in the field, including the need for standardized protocols, greater exploration of remote PBMT strategies, and improved consideration of sex-based responses. Finally, we outline future directions, such as integration with multimodal therapies, personalized dosimetry, and the development of wearable and transcranial PBMT technologies. Together, the existing body of evidence supports PBMT as a safe and potentially effective tool for NP management, while underscoring the need for more rigorous and translational research.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1647467</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1647467</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Light-induced secretion and transformation of neurotransmitter dopamine]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-10-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shuanghong Wei</author><author>Chang Liu</author><author>Zuomeng Wu</author><author>Jianmin Si</author><author>Xingxing Huo</author><author>Cailiang Shen</author><author>Yi Zhen</author><author>Dongwei Liu</author><author>Lei Chen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Dopamine (DA) is one of the most important neurotransmitters in the human body, which is becoming a key breakthrough for addressing myopia, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and mental diseases such as depression and schizophrenia. However, the activity of DA shows diurnal and seasonal variations, which may be due to the influence of solar activity time on the biological clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. By irradiating ARPE-19 cells with red and near-infrared light of different wavelengths, we studied and confirmed that the secretion and transformation of the light-induced neurotransmitter DA significantly depend on light wavelength and light dose. LED-chip light sources with emission peaks at 620, 680, 730, 800, and 850 nm and phosphor-converted LED light sources with emission peaks at 710 and 830 nm were used. It was confirmed that both the red and near-infrared light with variant wavelengths and doses can induce DA secretion to some extent. Yet, the concentrations of DA induced by the wideband spectral light of W710 and SW830 are higher than those induced by the narrowband single-LED-chip light and remain relatively stable under variant light doses. Among all the light sources, the model SW830 light source is the best one. This paper proposes a noninvasive way to induce the secretion of neurotransmitter DA and paves a reliable way to treat myopia, neurodegenerative diseases, and other diseases by using the neurotransmitter DA and the basic knowledge of photophysiology.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1634102</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1634102</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Physics inspired neural network for optical property retrieval from diffuse reflectance]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mark Witteveen</author><author>Tiziano Natali</author><author>Theo J. M. Ruers</author><author>Behdad Dashtbozorg</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionOptical property retrieval in diffuse reflectance imaging, like diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI), often involves fitting measured spectra to analytical solutions using approximations such as Diffusion Theory (DT). This method, while accurate, is not always generalizable due to the assumptions inherent in DT and results in non-unique solutions for optical properties and physiological parameters. In addition, it is computationally intensive. Physics-inspired deep learning offers generalizable data descriptions guided by physical principles but requires extensive labelled data, which is hard to obtain, especially in medical contexts.MethodsWe propose a deep learning approach to retrieve physiological parameters from DRS and HSI spectra using DT-simulated training data. The DT-simulated data is synthesised using a range for the optical properties: Blood Volume Fraction (BVF), Saturation, water-fat ratio (WFR), average blood vessel radius (R), scattering amplitude (SA), and scattering slope (SL). The range for these parameters we have extracted from literature.ResultsOur feed-forward neural network achieved median relative errors of 4% and 2% for DRS and HSI, respectively.DiscussionResults suggest that the proposed method is robust and that retrieval of optical properties is possible with similar results to DT but also reducing operation time.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1636398</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2025.1636398</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Absorption, scattering, and refractive index of blood and its components: a review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-08-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Gennadi Saiko</author><author>Faraz Sadrzadeh-Afsharazar</author><author>Timothy Burton</author><author>Scott Prahl</author><author>Alexandre Douplik</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Blood is a complex biofluid with distinct optical characteristics that underpin a range of diagnostic and monitoring technologies. This review examines the absorption, scattering, and refractive index properties of whole blood and its components across the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Blood’s optical properties are determined primarily by water, hemoglobin, and its encapsulation in red blood cells. Hemoglobins dominate blood’s light absorption in the 400–1,100 nm range, with sharp spectral differences between oxygenated and deoxygenated forms. Scattering in whole blood is primarily due to red blood cells and is influenced by hematocrit, oxygenation, shear rate, and osmolarity. Reduced scattering coefficients are close to 13 cm−1 in the whole visible range of the spectrum, and the anisotropy factor is close to unity, indicating highly forward-directed scattering. While other blood cells (white blood cells and platelets) do not contribute significantly to blood’s optical properties, their scattering properties are used in many biomedical applications. We also highlight the role of the geometry of experiment—including detour, sieve, and self-shielding phenomena—in shaping blood’s optical response. Multiple clinical technologies, such as pulse oximetry, are based on blood’s optical properties. Recently reported discrepancies between consumer and clinical devices highlight the need for more accurate models of blood optics for emerging biomedical and wearable sensing applications.]]></description>
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