{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.030303030303030304, 'fraction_numerical': 0.014568764568764568, 'mean_word_length': 5.6038461538461535, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Biologic fluorescence decay characteristics: determination by Laguerre expansion technique

Fluorescence decay characteristics are used to identify biologic fluorophores and to characterize interactions with the fluorophore environment. In many studies, fluorescence lifetimes are assessed by iterative reconvolution techniques. We investigated the use of a new approach: the Laguerre expansion of kernels technique (Marmarelis, V.Z., Ann. Biomed., Eng. 1993; 21, 573-589) which yields the fluorescence impulse response function by least- squares fitting of a discrete-time Laguerre functions expansion. Nitrogen (4 ns FWHM) and excimer (120 ns FWHM) laser pulses were used to excite the fluorescence of an anthracene and of type II collagen powder. After filtering (monochromator) and detection (MCP-PMT), the fluorescence response was digitized (digital storage oscilloscope) and transferred to a personal computer. Input and output data were deconvolved by the Laguerre expansion technique to compute the impulse response function which was then fitted to a multiexponential function for determination of the decay constants. A single exponential (time constant: 4.24 ns) best approximated the fluorescence decay of anthracene, whereas the Type II collagen response was best approximated by a double exponential (time constants: 2.24 and 9.92 ns) in agreement with previously reported data. The results of the Laguerre expansion technique were compared to the least-squares iterative reconvolution technique. The Laguerre expansion technique appeared computationally efficient and robust to experimental noise in the data. Furthermore, the proposed method does not impose a set multiexponential form to the decay.