Method of evaluation of process of red blood cell sedimentation based on photometry of droplet samples
The paper focuses on research aimed at creating and testing a new approach to evaluate the processes of aggregation and sedimentation of red blood cells for purpose of its use in clinical laboratory diagnostics. The proposed method is based on photometric analysis of blood sample formed as a sessile drop. The results of clinical approbation of this method are given in the paper. Analysis of the processes occurring in the sample in the form of sessile drop during the process of blood cells sedimentation is described. The results of experimental studies to evaluate the effect of the droplet sample focusing properties on light radiation transmittance are presented. It is shown that this method significantly reduces the sample volume and provides sufficiently high sensitivity to the studied processes.
RBC aggregation effects on light scattering from blood
We consider a number of diffusive and transport models of light transmission through whole blood, targeting better understanding of nature of optical transmission pulsations for blood flow modulated by heartbeats. We claim the existence of scattering- associated mechanism rather than the absorption-associated one. Single erythrocytes and their aggregates are considered to be the main centers of scattering in the red- near infrared spectral region. The shape and size of aggregates change in time due to blood flow changes. The corresponding changes of optical transmission are simulated.
Fluctuations of dielectric constant in a system of hard spheres
The correlation function for fluctuations of a dielectric constant in a latex-like suspension of spherical particles was calculated. An exact analytical expression was derived for the correlation function using the Percus-Yewick approximation for a system of hard spheres. The obtained results made it possible to calculate the indicatrix of single scattering, the extinction coefficient, and the transport mean path. It is shown that, starting with a volume content of about ten percent, the “gas” approximation becomes invalid, and optical parameters begin to depend on concentration in quite a complicated manner. In particular, the extinction length and the mean transport path, which are the basic parameters in describing the coherent effects in multiple scattering, vary nonmonotonically with concentration. It is found that there exists a range of sizes and concentrations of scattering particles in which an effect similar to the emergence of blue phase in liquid crystals can be observed.