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High-speed digitizers are indispensable in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, revolutionizing how data is collected, processed, and evaluated. These sophisticated devices enable accurate measurement and instantaneous tracking across applications ranging from medical imaging and diagnostics to biomedical studies and pharmaceutical development.

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

Through converting analog signals into high-resolution digital data at unparalleled speeds, high-speed digitizers improve precision and efficiency, driving innovation and enhancing patient outcomes in some of the most vital healthcare applications.

Reaching deep: Enhanced brain stimulation with advanced H-coils

This application addresses developments in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a method employed in neuroscience and neurology for non-invasive brain stimulation. TMS is commonly applied in both research and treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Challenge: Conventional TMS coils, such as the figure-8 coil, have limitations in stimulating deep brain regions without causing unintended cortical stimulation. This restricts TMS effectiveness in treating conditions involving deeper brain structures.

How the GaGe digitizer was used: The GaGe Digitizer measured the electrical field induced by TMS coils. Voltage differences captured by a dipole probe in a head model were recorded by the digitizer, enabling computation of electrical field strength and distribution.

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

Revolutionizing dental diagnostics: High-resolution 3D imaging of teeth using optical coherence tomography

This article demonstrates that OCT imaging delivers unmatched resolution and contrast. An Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) probe was used to characterize teeth as a complement to standard X-ray radiography. An innovative method for dental imaging is discussed, offering potential applications for in vivo diagnostics in dental clinics.

Challenge: Conventional dental imaging methods, such as X-ray radiography, frequently lack the resolution and contrast required for the precise detection of certain dental conditions, especially occlusal caries. Innovative approaches to imaging are needed to address these limitations.

How GaGe digitizers were employed: OCT delivers improved contrast and resolution relative to radiography. Specifically, the OCT probe enables improved characterization of tooth decay on occlusal (grinding) surfaces. A Gage digitizer monitored photodetector signals from the optical output of the OCT stage.

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

Unlocking the secrets of hidden worlds: iNIRS reveals turbid media dynamics

This article presents interferometric near-infrared spectroscopy (iNIRS) as an innovative technique for quantifying optical and dynamic characteristics of turbid media, including blood. This technique represents a significant step forward compared to traditional methods.

Challenge: Current techniques such as continuous-wave (CW) near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) require complex assumptions and extra parameters for precise optical quantification. While valuable, diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) methods lack time-of-flight (TOF) resolved measurements essential for determining dynamic properties.

How GaGe digitizers were used: Measurements of absorption and scattering of infrared light provide information, for instance, on blood oxygenation and tissue composition. A Gage digitizer monitored signals from two photodetectors – one measuring raw laser power and another connected to the signal from the infrared interferometer containing the sample. The Gage waveform data was then utilized for determining final infrared absorption and scattering measurements.

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

Unlocking the brain’s barriers: Reversible drug delivery with focused ultrasound

This study falls within the medical and biomedical engineering fields, specifically concentrating on enhancing drug delivery to the brain for treating central nervous system (CNS) diseases. High-power 1.5 MHz focused ultrasound was used to locally open the blood-brain barrier, enabling penetration of intravenously administered drugs into the brain.

Challenge: Most drugs for CNS diseases face difficulty penetrating the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which acts as a protective shield for the brain. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles as a controlled, non-invasive, and reversible method to open the BBB.

How GaGe digitizers were used: A conventional low-power 10 MHz imaging transducer, embedded in the high-power focused ultrasonic transducer, aligned the focused transducer. A GaGe digitizer captured signals from the imaging transducer, whose amplitude aligned the focused transducer.

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

Revolutionary dual imaging of retinal health: Melanin and lipofuscin in real-time

Research paper image

This research combined photoacoustic ophthalmoscopy and autofluorescence imaging to measure quantities of these pigments in the retina. Quantities of melanin and lipofuscin pigments in the retina may characterize the development of age-related macular degeneration in the eye.

Challenge: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness, is associated with changes in retinal pigments such as melanin and lipofuscin. Conventional imaging methods struggle to simultaneously and comprehensively visualize both pigments in living organisms.

How GaGe digitizers were used: Pulsed laser light reflections from the retina were directed into an avalanche photodiode, and the output voltage was obtained using a Gage Cobra CS22G8 (2-channels, 8-bits, 2 GS/s). Acoustic energy emitted from the retina was detected by a custom ultrasonic transducer in contact with the eye. This transducer’s output voltage was digitized using a Gage Cobra CS14200 (2-channels, 14-bits, 200 MS/s).

Image Credit: Vitrek LLC

About Vitrek LLC

Since 1990, Vitrek has provided innovative global solutions for high voltage test and measurement including electrical safety compliance testers, multi-point high voltage switching systems and graphical power analyzers. The recent acquisition of MTI Instruments expands their test and measurement portfolio to include non-contact measurement devices, portable signal simulators and calibrators, semiconductor/solar metrology systems and turbine engine/rotating machine balancing. The acquisition of DynamicSignals’ portfolio adds a wide array of board-level data acquisition and integrated real-time RF record/playback system solutions from GaGe, KineticSystems and Signatec. Vitrek also supplies precision high voltage measurement standards to national laboratories and calibration labs around the world. This unique and complementary combination of product and engineering capabilities positions Vitrek as a leading provider of test solutions serving the photovoltaic, medical equipment, power conversion, electrical/electronic component, semiconductor, aerospace and appliance industries. Vitrek is an accredited ISO 17025 Calibration Laboratory.

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Modern lifestyles and dietary changes have significantly increased the consumption of high-fat foods, contributing to a steep rise in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. Furthermore, a high-fat diet (HFD) is linked to cognitive impairments and neurodegeneration and has been shown to worsen the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease—a progressive neurodegenerative condition—in mouse models. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive.

Autophagy, a crucial cellular recycling process, helps maintain neuronal health. Recent studies have shown that impaired autophagy contributes to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. But is autophagy linked to HFD-induced cognitive deficits?

To address this question, researchers from Chiba University, Japan, examined the effects of the HFD on autophagy and memory formation using Drosophila, the humble fruit fly, as a model system. Rodent studies have focused mainly on specific regions of the brain, leaving the broader impact of HFDs on the nervous system unexplored. To bridge this gap, the researchers used Drosophila, given its ease of genetic manipulation, short lifespan, conserved metabolic and neural pathways with mammals, and well-validated memory assessments.

Associate Professor Ayako Tonoki and her team, including doctoral students Tong Yue, Minrui Jiang, and Kotomi Onuki from the Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, along with Professor Motoyuki Itoh from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Japan, recently published their findings in Volume 21, Issue 8 of the journal PLOS Genetics on August 18, 2025. “Our findings suggest that diet-induced cognitive decline is not irreversible and may be improved by lifestyle interventions that promote autophagy, such as exercise or intermittent fasting. This research may raise public awareness about the cognitive risks of HFD and provide new insights into potential preventive strategies against metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders,” explains Dr. Tonoki.

The researchers maintained the flies on a normal diet or an HFD for seven days and examined their lipid—triacylglycerol (TAG) and circulating glucose levels. Notably, HFD-fed flies had significantly higher levels of TAG and glucose as well as higher intestinal lipid accumulation, suggesting that HFD altered glucose and lipid metabolism.

Next, the researchers examined the effects of HFD on memory formation by conditioning the flies to various odors and assessing their short-term (3 minutes following exposure), intermediate-term (3 hours following exposure), and long-term (24 hours following exposure) memory (STM, ITM, and LTM, respectively). Specific odor tubes were paired with an electric shock apparatus for behavioral reinforcement. Notably, HFD-fed flies exhibited impaired ITM and LTM, while STM remained unaffected.

To elucidate the role of autophagy in HFD-induced memory impairment, the researchers quantified the levels of autophagy-related proteins. They found that the levels of Ref(2)p—a protein normally degraded by autophagy—were significantly increased in HFD-fed flies. At the same time, the Atg8a-II/I ratio, a marker of autophagosome (recycling vesicles) formation, was markedly lower, indicating autophagic dysfunction. Further, temporary suppression of the autophagy protein Atg1 in adult neurons selectively reduced ITM without affecting STM, consistent with the effects observed under HFD feeding, suggesting that a temporary reduction in neuronal autophagic activity during adulthood is sufficient to cause memory decline. Conversely, boosting autophagy by overexpressing Atg1, suppressing the autophagy inhibitor Rubicon, or treating with the autophagy inducer rapamycin ameliorated memory deficits in HFD-fed flies. These findings suggest that HFD-induced memory deficits can be reversed by enhancing autophagic activity.

To better understand how HFD disrupts autophagy, the researchers examined the final stage of autophagy—the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes into autolysosomes, where cellular contents are degraded and recycled. Notably, HFD-fed flies showed abundant autophagosomes and lysosomes, but no change in autolysosome numbers, indicating that the HFD-induced impairment in autophagy was likely due to the defective fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes. Interestingly, gene expression analysis revealed that lysosome signaling-related genes were significantly downregulated in HFD-fed flies. Finally, inhibition of lysosomal function markedly reduced ITM.

Overall, these findings provide novel insights into how HFD induces memory deficits through autophagic and lysosomal impairment. Addressing the cognitive risks associated with HFD can aid in the early prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. Tonoki concludes by saying, “This research advances our understanding of how dietary habits influence brain health. Our findings may also accelerate the identification of autophagy-enhancing interventions—including specific nutrients and therapeutic agents—to combat diet-induced cognitive decline and preserve cognition in the aging population.”

Reference: Yue T, Jiang M, Onuki K, Itoh M, Tonoki A. High-fat diet impairs intermediate-term memory by autophagic-lysosomal dysfunction in Drosophila. Ewer J, ed. PLoS Genet. 2025;21(8):e1011818. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011818

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