Fundamental phenomenon of photon migration in tissues and its development to diffuse optical imaging are reviewed in present paper. Possible applications of optical diffuse imaging in medicine are discussed.

A specific method of photoimmunotherapy, using a combination of selective photothermal laser tissue interactions and an in situ immunoadjuvant, has showed promising results in pre-clinical studies. Its effect on untreated remote metastases is especially interesting. To understand the mechanism of the combination of laser therapy and immunotherapy, immune responses have been investigated. The following laser photoimmunotherapy-induced tumor-specific immunological activities have been observed in our studies. 1. The photoimmunotherapy-cured tumor-bearing animal could resist repeated, dose escalated tumor rechallenges. 2. The serum from cured animals showed tumor-specific antibodies to enhance the binding to the tumor cells. 3. The serum from cured animals could also serve as antibody sources to bind certain specific tumor proteins. 4. In vivo, the spleen cells from cured animals showed anti-tumor immunity that could be adoptively transferred. The methods and the results of these immune responses are summarized.

A novel swept laser based Fourier domain functional optical coherence tomography (FD-F-OCT) system using an electro-optic phase modulator was designed and developed. The imaging range was doubled by the cancellation of the mirror image. The elimination of low frequency noises due to DC and autocorrelation terms increased the sensitivity by 20 dB. 3-D volume imaging as well as Doppler and polarization imaging with high speed and high sensitivity is described and demonstrated.

Diffusion theory is an approximation ofthe equation of radiative transport, that is used to describe light propagation in turbid media. This approximation is very popular because ofits simplicity, possibilities to describe time-resolved light propagation, and for its appeal to physical intuition. However, it has also its restrictions. It is the aim ofthis contribution to discuss this method, and to evaluate what can be undertaken to avoid the deviations caused by its restrictions, based on results obtained with the equation of radiative transport.

Practical vascular medicine get benefits from noninvasive, atraumatic, and monitoring-enabling nature of the optical methods that ensure analyzing arterial, venular, and microvessel blood flow; controlling chemical composition ofthe blood; and assessing the level of blood saturation with oxygen. Currently the most required methods are photoplethysrnography, laser Doppler flowmetry, and pulse oximetry. This report highlights the history ofthe method development, their physical grounds, technical realization, modern state, application fields, the measurement precision, and further prospects. The methods of studying the peripheral blood flow are grounded on the modern achievements of fundamental physics. The discoveries in physics and technologies (photoeffect, photodetecting, optical mixing, photoernission, lasers, etc.) resulted in development ofphotoplethysmography, laser Doppler flowrnetry, and pulse oximetry. Among the major research directions related to the application ofthese methods are the study oftranscapillary exchange, tomography ofrnicrocirculation system, and visualization ofthe microvessels. Further development ofthe conventional methods, first ofall, in direction of raising the precision ofthe measurement and development ofthe controlling instruments is ofa great importance as well.

We have performed theoretical and experimental researches of spatio-temporal structure of femtosecond laser pulses, scattered in suspension of polysterol beads in water. The spatio-temporal structure of scattered pulses was measured by means of nonlinear optical gating at noncollinear second harmonic generation with subpicosecond temporal resolutions. Testing of phototoxic action of high-intensity femtosecond pulses on biological tissues has been performed with serum of rat's blood. Samples were irradiated with trains of 50-fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses with intensity up to a threshold of optical breakdown. The phototoxic stress of blood serum was defined with a several techniques including biochemoluminescence, sonoluminescence, and morphology analysis of dehydrated droplet, total concentration of proteins, viscosity and proteins oxidation measurements. We have determined regimes of blood serum irradiation with JR femtosecond laser pulses, corresponding to nonivasive influence, phototoxic stress and optical damage.

Using a combination of the stochastic technique and the iteration procedure of the solution to BSE, numerical computational method is developed for stochastic modelling of coherent effects in a multiple scattering medium. It is shown that additional phase-related factors in framework of ladder diagrams are equivalent to multiplication of the statistical weights by corresponding factors after each scattering event during the random walk of a photon packet. The Monte Carlo technique is generalized for the simulation of the coherent backscattering and temporal field correlation function of optical radiation. The developed model yields qualitative results that are ready for direct comparison against theoretical predications.

Sprays, aerosols as well as other industrially relevant turbid media can be characterized by light scattering techniques. However these techniques often fall into the intermediate scattering regime where the average number of times a photon is scattered is too great for single scattering to be assumed, but too few for the diffusion approximation to be applied. We present the results of theoretical study provided details of scattering of laser radiation in the intermediate single-tomultiple scattering regime. Crossed fiber optic source-detector geometry is considered to separate the intensity of single scattering from higher scattering orders. A quantitative analysis of scattering orders in the intermediate single-tomultiple scattering regime is presented. Agreement between the analytical and Monte Carlo techniques both used for the calculation of double light scattering intensity is demonstrated. Influence of detector numerical aperture on the scattering orders is shown for the intermediate single-to-multiple scattering regime. The method used can be applied to verify analytical results indirectly against experiment via Monte Carlo calculations that include the imperfections of the experiment.

The range of possibilities ofthe laser manipulation with microscopic objects could be sufficiently expanded by using of the beams with predetermined spatial intensity and orbital momentum density distributions in the focusing plane. Such beams permit to realize rotation and fixed trace movement of absorbing particles. The spiral beams having intensity in the shape of triangular boundary, the line with self-intersection and Archimedes spiral were formed by composition of amplitude and phase masks produced on the base of bichromated gelatin. The spiral beams keep their intensity structure unchanged under propagation except scale and rotation. The Ar-laser and microscope MIN-8 with immersion micro objective (60x, NA=O.85) were used in experimental set-up. Particles of the cetylpiridiniumbromide and colored latex spheres were chosen as an objects for manipulation. Experimental results are presented on microobjects movement effectuated with spiral beams along different fixed trajectories. The motion direction is determined by the direction of the beams orbital momentums.

An apparatus for parallel, full-field, laser Doppler perfusion imaging has been developed and applied for measurements of blood flow in human skin. This new imaging system allows obtaining 2D flow maps or to monitor flux signals from a plurality of separate predetermined points simultaneously with a 2D matrix of photodetectors. The uniform area illumination is achieved with a highly multimode optical fiber. The detection part of the system is based on an intelligent CMOS camera (iMVS-155) with a built-in digital signal processor. The imaging time of the system is 4 times quicker than for conventional scanning laser Doppler imager. The performance of the system was tested on artificial samples demonstrating linear response to the velocity up to 3 mm/sec. Also, the results of the measurements obtained with the new system on human skin are reported.

Results of a study of 43 patients with basal cell carcinoma were used to analyze possibility to apply optical coherence tomography (OCT) to their diagnosis et guided surgery to the depth of 1,5 mm with a resolution of 15 mcm.

In this work version of inverse Monte Carlo method for determination of optical parameters of biological tissues is presented. This method determine such optical parameters as anisotropy factor (g), absorption coefficient (μ_a), scattering coefficient (μ_s) both these coefficients determine mean free path (d_s) which use for Monte Carlo simulation method of radiative transfer. These parameters are determined by the step-by-step searching. We have released three methods ofthe optical parameters searching: simple, differential and approximation. Optical parameters are changed by a certain value-step. In the simple searching method step is fixed, in the differential searching method step decreases as we approach to "mistake zone". The differential searching method finds more accurate results for a less time. In the approximation searching method a transfer radiation function (of optical parameter) is approximated by a power polynomial and the optical parameters value is determined from equation. The approximation searching method uses the close value of transfer radiation rate, without the "mistake zone". Using square approximation searching method the optical parameters adipose tissue has determined. The anisotropy factor g is equal 0.876 the scattering and absorption coefficients are equal 19.81 cm^-1 and 0.15 cm^-1 respectively.

In the present paper, Monte Carlo simulation is used to obtain model OCT signals from horizontally oriented 1.1-mm thick blood layer at different stages of red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and sedimentation processes. The parameters for aggregating and sedimenting blood cells were chosen basing on the data available from literature and our earlier studies. We consider two different cases: a suspension of washed RBC in blood plasma, which provides necessary conditions for aggregation. Nice correspondence of the obtained simulation results with the available experimental results shows that chosen optical parameters are reasonable.

One of the acute problems of raising the life standard of people nowadays is to protect human skin against harmful UV solar radiation. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the most appropriate size of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) fine particles that can be imbedded into the skin in order to achieve the maximal attenuation of the UV-B light. The in-depth distribution in the skin of TiO₂ particles achieved with the topically applied sunscreens is determined experimentally by the tape-stripping technique. Computer code implementing the Monte Carlo method is used to simulate photon migration through a 20-μm thick horny layer matrix partially filled with nano-sized TiO₂ spheres. Dependencies of the portions of the most harmful UV radiation with the wavelength of 290.5 nm absorbed by and reflected from, as well as transmitted through the horny layer on the concentration of TiO₂ particles are obtained and analyzed.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) signals from blood layers (thickness of 0.5 mm) for the haematocrits of 35, 10 and 5%, intralipid (thickness of 2 mm) for 10, 5 and 2% concentrations, as well as from upper skin layers (stratum corneum and epidermis) for the thicknesses of 120, 135 and 150 jim were simulated using Monte-Carlo method. For blood and intralipid simulations the wavelength was chosen equal to 820 nm and for upper skin layers simulation equal to 630 nm. The coherence length was assumed to be 15 Iim. The contribution of multiple scattering to OCT was analyzed for the models under study. It was shown that for blood the percentage ofmultiple scattering contribution in to the signal increases as haematocrit goes up: for 5%-haematocrit the contribution is less than 1%, for 10%-haematocrit about 4.5%, and for 35% - some 64%. It appears that for intralipid the major contribution to the signal for all the concentrations under consideration is made by multiple scattering: for 2%-concentration - about 44.5%, for 5%-concentration -72%, and for 10%-concentration - more than 85%. Apparently, for skin surface layers the multiple scattering contribution rises as the layer thickness increases: as the layer thickness is varied from 20 to 50 im the multiple scattering contribution varies from 14 to 74%.

Chronic tonsillitis is one of the most common diseases in ENT all over the world. There are two ways of treatment-surgical tonsillectomy and conservative therapeutically treatment. But still doctors have no possibility to make objective decisions for this painful and tonsil-destructive operation. In this article we try to research how the degree of sclerosis in tonsillar tissue affects the blood flow in tonsils, by using laser Doppler flowmetry.

The results of measurements of transmittance of high power laser irradiation through skull bones and scalp are presented. Dependences of transmittance on sample thickness were received. Character of transmittance was investigated and characteristics of heterogeneity of the scattering structure of the skull bones are proposed. Besides that, variation of temperature of skull and scalp surfaces under exposure of high power laser irradiation during experiments was controlled. Experimental results were verified by Monte-Carlo simulations.

Tularaemia is followed by development of a long-lasting protective immunity. Peripheral blood leukocytes of vaccinated individuals partially lysed in vitro after exposure to killed Francisella tularensis cells and this leukocytolis reaction is used for evaluation of antitularaemia immunity. Here, results from cytofluorometric characterization of human whole blood leukocyte response following exposure to F. tularensis are reported. Leukocytes were stained in whole blood by acridine orange. The green (nuclear chromatin) and red (lysosomal granules) fluorescent signals from individual cells were measured by flow cytometry to detect the decrease of leukocyte concentration in whole human blood (the leukocytolis intensity) and to calculate the damaged leukocytes with changed chromatin structure and lysosomal granules per cell content. Our data indicate that flow cytometry offers a rapid and more informative technique for evaluation of human antitularaemia immunity in vitro.

Gram-negative E. coli, gram-positive facultative anaerobe cocci Staphylococcus lugdensis, Micrococcus halobius, and Stomatococcus mucilaginosus as subjects of study were chosen. LEDs with spectrum maxima at 405 nm (without any exogenous sensitizer) and 660 nm (in conjunction with methylene blue) and power densities of 23 mW/cm² and 5.7 mW/cm² accordingly as continuous light sources were chosen. Photosensitized light's affect by methylene blue was studied on E. coli only. The original scheme of experiment set up was developed. It permits one to increase expositions quantity in each experiment for more certain trend's construction over dose curves and decrease parasite flora sowing. As a result of accomplished studies it was established that blue low-coherent light have unalike weak light's dose depending suppressing effect on cocci whereas red low-coherent light have a moderate dose-depended suppressing effect at low irradiation doses and a moderate dose-depended stimulating effect at high irradiation doses on sensitized by MeBlue E. coli. For all ofthis, but Staphylococcus morphology changes were observed.

Lightweight handheld laser Doppler instrument is designed for blood flow assessment in soft tissues of oral cavity. Laser light source, fiber optic probe detector and amplifier circuitry are mounted inside the compact hand held probe assembly to minimize noise and to exclude optical fiber motion artifacts. Both the instrument and data processing software are optimized for the using of the standard PC sound interface as the data acquisition device that provides low cost and effective solution for clinical use. The instrument is suitable for quantitative diagnostics of gingivitis and other disorders in dentistry.

We describe tomographic imaging of the refractive index of turbid media based on optical coherence tomography (OCT). We describe a variant OCT technique, bifocal optical coherence refractometry (BOCR), in which the optical pathlength difference between two foci simultaneously present in a medium of interest is measured. This technique is potentially suitable for dynamic measurements of the refractive index of biological tissues. We describe different schemes for realization of BOCR including one based on an adaptive liquid-crystal lens. We present experimental results from a range of tissue phantoms and from human skin in vivo that demonstrate the unique possibilities of BOCR for refractive index tomography, including its intrinsic immunity to motion artefacts and suitability for dynamic measurements.

This study aims to examine the biomechanical factor underlying the origin of Non-Carious-Cervical-Lesions by examining the strain distribution in the enamel and dentine. A digital moire interferometry was utilized for this purpose. It is observed from this study that the enamel displayed marked strains in the lateral direction, while the dentine experienced marked strains in the axial and lateral directions during compression. The strains in the enamel and the dentine displayed both normal and shear components. The shear strain in the lateral direction within the enamel and the normal and shear strains in the axial and lateral directions within the coronal dentine concentrated at the cervical region. These experiments highlights that the biting loads will contribute to the loss of hard tissue in the cervical region.

Polarized light imaging offers potential for characterizing superficial tissue such as the skin. Its simplicity means that if the technique can be demonstrated to provide effective results, it should find widespread use in clinical practice. This paper briefly describes the Monte Carlo simulations and the instrument developed by our group. Details are also provided of a look-up table approach to extract the optical coefficients of a layered medium.

In this paper an attempt ofNIR analysis to measure the milk constituents is introduced. In milk, light is absorbed and scattered simultaneously. The concentrations of each component no longer have linear relationship to the absorbency, but proportional to the absorption coefficient and scattering coefficient. It is necessary to separate the effect of absorption and scattering. Compare with the widely used NIR method, we do not calibrate the prediction model by diffuse reflectance. The calibration is composed by two steps. Firstly, the optical parameters are measured by double integrating sphere; secondly, calibration is made by optical parameters. Concentration of protein and fat are within reasonable range. Fifty samples are acquired for calibration. The experimental result shows a higher prediction accuracy of protein than the intensity calibration method, and a comparable accuracy of fat.

Conventional imaging modalities like CT or ultrasonography have a spatial resolution of 70-1000 rim. OCT is a new method by which light of a certain wavelength is introduced into a fiberglass optic to measure tissue structures of up to 2.5 mm depth with a spatial resolution of up to 10-15 μm. We utilized the Tomograph Sirius 713, developed at the Medical Laser Centre in cooperation with 4-Optics AG, Lubeck, Germany. This apparatus uses a special Super- Luminescence-Diode (SLD) that produces light within the near infrared wavelength, with a central wavelength of 1300 nm. The coherence length is reduced to 15 μm. The light is introduced into a fiberglass optic which is several meters long and is easy to handle. To measure the depth of invasion and position of urothelial bladder tumors, the fiberglass optic is attached to a regular endoscope (Wolf, Knittlingen, Germany) via an OCT adapter. That way, in parallel to the regular endoscopic view of the bladder mucosa with or without pathologic findings, an OCT picture of the superficial as well as the deeper muscle layers is visible online. OCT was used to obtain 945 images from the bladder in vivo und ex vivo of 65 patients. OCT of normal bladder mucosa allows to image a cross section of up to 2.5 mm. It is possible to distinguish transitional epithelium, lamina propria, smooth muscles and capillaries. In cystitis, the thickness of the mucosa is constant, but the distinction between the different layers is blurred. In squamous metaplasia there is thickening of the epithelial layer, with preservation of lamination of the lower layers. In transitional cell carcinoma there is a complete loss of the regular layered structure. It is easily possible to distinguish the border between tumour and normal bladder tissue. OCT is a new high-resolution imaging procedure. It has the potential to improve the diagnostics of the urothelium and its lesions. In conjunction with a highly sensitive orientating procedure like fluorescence-cystoscopy, intraoperative staging of these changes could be possible in the future.

The backscattered intensity from low-intensity laser illumination of the skin in the area of vascular plexus is investigated in vivo. The exposure of blood to low power laser light in the absorption range of haemoglobin leads to increasing intensity of the backscattered light. Theoretical evaluation using an existing optical model of erythrocyte aggregation has suggests that the fragmentation of erythrocyte aggregates is the most probable mechanism leading to the enhanced backscattering.

Optical methods continue to play significant roles in medical and biological research. In recent times cell and tissue engineering have emerged rapidly and are now well recognised as important multi-disciplinary endeavours within the medical and biological spheres. This paper describes applications of optical science and technology in cell and tissue engineering, ranging from the basic visualization of organeeles, cells and tissues through to probing the structure and function of cells and tissues being cultured in bioreactors. The development of tissue engineering for the fabrication of cell-based systems, for example for the repair or replacement of damaged or diseased tissues and organs, is first described. Then, interactions of light propagating through cells and tissues are considered, both theoretically and practically, as a prelude to the description of means for optical interrogation. Scattering and absorption of light by cells and tissues is shown to provide useful opportunities for measurement, for example via spectrophotometric analysis or small angle light scattering. Optical sensors for chemical analysis based on immobilised fluorophores and chromophores are also presented, these being particularly useful in bioreactors. In this application the continuous monitoring of a variety of chemical and physical variables may lead to optimised cell and tissue culture.

We used a temperature controlled localized reflectance optical probe to test the effect of distance source detector distance, temperature and wavelength on the calibration of localized reflectance signals versus glucose concentration. Successful calibration models were established. The data suggests that the interplay of source-detector distances, wavelengths and temperature may lead to selecting a defined subcutaneous volume, where the signal can correlate better with glucose.

A three-element phased array approach based on post processing of continuous wave data for enhancing the spatial resolution of highly scattering media is presented. The method is based on the scanning of a three sources -one detector array along the system under investigation. The sources are turned on and offin a sequential mode in order to avoid cross talk among them. At each position of the sources-detector system along the medium intensity data are collected from the sources, multiplied by amplitude and phase factors, and combined in a phased-array algorithm. Optimal choices of the amplitude and phase factors are discussed. Experimental and theoretical evidence of the improved spatial resolution obtained with this method is provided.

The concept of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for high-resolution imaging of tissues in vivo is introduced. Analytical and numerical models for describing and understanding the light propagation in samples imaged by OCT systems are presented. An analytical model for calculating the OCT signal based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle and valid both for single and multiple scattering regimes is outlined. From this model, an algorithm for extracting tissue optical properties for multi-layered tissues is derived. The algorithm is first verified for various optical properties and geometries using solid phantoms and numerical simulations. The applicability of the algorithm for extraction of tissue optical properties is then demonstrated for vascular tissue samples ex vivo. With the use of data from numerical phantoms, the validity of the OCT extraction algorithm for a two-layer geometry is further supported. It is concluded that by using optical properties extracted from OCT images of human tissues, the clinical utility of OCT imaging can be substantially increased.

Bringing science to business seems rather straight forward. Technology is constantly moving forward and new inventions are being brought into the market place. Science parks and technology parks have sprung out all around the globe competing against each other and trying to keep their own doors open by bringing in new business, thereby creating much needed income to keep their operations moving forward. However, only a small handful ofthese centers around the world can truly be considered successful. It is the relationship between the scientists, start-up business, local universities, local government, and invited bigger business that allows the parks to succeed. The individual scientist wishing to enter into business or just hoping to get his invention into the pool of potential ideas; which might end up in the hands of an entrepreneur or an established company, is not always that simple. Universal success principles must be embraced to ensure success. One must believe in oneself and to strive for excellence. One must be able to see the other persons viewpoint and adapt and change his behavior in order to succeed. One must learn to create trust as well as learn to trust. Furthermore, one must learn to focus on the why of the process and not on the how. A market must be identified and benefits of local area must be sold to potential investor or business partners. A local success has in part to do with local cooperation.

In this paper, fibre optic spectroscopy (FOSpectr) was developed for detection and quantification of recombinant green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in transgenic tobacco plants. In vitro detection was first carried out to optimize the sensitivity of the optical system. The bacterial expression vectors, pEGFP and pDsRED, were transformed into Escherichia coli host cells and fluorescent proteins were produced following induction with IPTG. Soluble EGFP and DsRED proteins were isolated from lysed bacterial cells and successfully purified by size separation under nondenaturing electrophoretic conditions and quantified. The purified proteins were serially diluted for quantitative analysis by fibre optic spectroscopy using different light sources, namely, blue LED (475 nm), tungsten halogen (350-1000 nm) and double frequency Nd:YAG green laser (532 nm). Tungsten halogen was found to be unsuitable for excitation of both EGFP and DsRED. Blue LED and green laser were the most suitable for excitation of EGFP and DsRED, respectively. The minimum concentration of EGFP detectable with blue LED excitation was 7.5 tg/ml whereas that for DsRED under excitation by green laser was 3.75 ig/ml. To determine the capability of spectroscopy detection in planta, transgenic tobacco plants expressing EGFP were first imaged under a fluorescence microscope. This was to select a panel of transformed plants expressing varying levels of the fluorescent protein. These plants were then screened via FOSpectr. The results showed that the amplitude of the fluorescence emission signal obtained from FOSpectr correlated well with the level of EGFP expressed as indicated by fluorescence microscopy. Thus, proof-of-concept for the use of FOSpectr as a potentially powerful tool for screening transgenic plants was provided in this paper.

Colon cancer alters the tissue macro-architecture. Changes include increase in blood content and distortion of the collagen matrix, which affect the reflectance spectra of the colon and its colouration. We have developed a physics-based model for predicting colon tissue spectra. The colon structure is represented by three layers: mucosa, submucosa and smooth muscle. Each layer is represented by parameters defining its optical properties: molar concentration and absorption coefficients of haemoglobins, describing absorption of light; size and density of collagen fibres; refractive index of the medium and collagen fibres, describing light scattering; and layer thicknesses. Spectra were calculated using the Monte Carlo method. The output of the model was compared to experimental data comprising 50 spectra acquired in vivo from normal tissue. The extracted histological parameters showed good agreement with known values. An experiment was carried out to study the differences between normal and abnormal tissue. These were characterised by increased blood content and decreased collagen density, which is consistent with known differences between normal and abnormal tissue. This suggests that histological quantities of the colon could be computed from its reflectance spectra. The method is likely to have diagnostic value in the early detection of colon cancer.

Computational methods have been used with great application to biomedical optics. The events created by the interaction of radiation with biological materials can easily be translated to computer languages with the objective of producing simulation techniques to be used prior to physical intervention. The addition of biocompatible and hyper osmotic agents to several types of biological tissues has proven the enhancement of transparency to radiation flux by reduction of material's optical properties. The evolutionary behavior of the agent's action in the tissue samples before saturation has been observed by numerous researchers but has never been described mathematically. In the present work we will describe the application of Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the evolutionary states of optical transparency of biological tissues when immersed in an osmotic solution. We begin our study with typical values for the optical properties of rabbit muscle and proceed by reducing the absorption and scattering coefficients independently and simultaneously. The results show the number of transmitted, absorbed, scattered and reflected photons in different stages of the action of a generic osmotic agent over a small and well defined tissue sample.

The OCDT signals from a plain glass capillary with intralipid suspension flow were simulated by Monte Carlo method. The effect of intralipid concentration on the velocity profiles reconstructed from the OCDT signals for different wavelengths of the low-coherent light source was investigated. The amount of single and multiply scattered photons and their contribution to the OCDT signal was calculated. The distortion of the measured velocity profiles due to higher order scattering was quantitatively evaluated. It is shown that with the increase of the concentration of the intralipid solution the reconstructed velocity profiles widens and shifts with its maximum.

Optical imaging and tomography in tissues can facilitate the quantitative study of several important chromophores and fluorophores in-vivo. Due to this fact, there has been great interest in developing imaging systems offering quantitative information on the location and concentration of chromophores and fluorescent probes. In this study we present a novel imaging system that enables three dimensional (3D) imaging of fluorescent signals in bodies of arbitrary shapes in a non-contact geometry, in combination with a 3D surface reconstruction algorithm, which is appropriate for in-vivo small animal imaging of fluorescent probes. The system consists of a rotating sample holder and a lens coupled Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera in combination with a fiber coupled laser scanning device. An Argon ion laser is used as the source and different filters are used for the detection of various fluorophores or fluorescing proteins. With this new setup a large measurements dataset can be achieved while the use of inversion models give a high capacity for quantitative 3D reconstruction of fluorochrome distributions as well as high spatial resolution. The system has already been tested in the observation of the distribution of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) expressing T-lymphocytes in order to study the function of the immune system in a murine model, which can then be related to the function of the human immune system.

The Russian population offers a unique opportunity for conducting clinical trials in general, and specifically in the area of Medical Devices. Although the regulatory framework for approval of clinical trials and eventual marketing registration is based on an American-style format, details of operating in the Russian framework are very different. Understanding and leveraging the unique characteristics of the Russian system on the patient side, the investigator side, and the regulatory side is important in extracting optimum value out of clinical trials in Russia. Having performed Medical Device research and clinical trials in Russia, the authors overview the present system and describe various strategies for working in this growing but still under-utilized clinical trials arena.

The luminescence-kinetic technique of the monitoring of structural changes in albumins of human blood plasma that uses a luminescent probe-eosin is proposed. Phosphorescence of eosin bound to the globular proteins of blood plasma-albumins was recorded at room temperature. It is found that under the action of sodium dodecylsulfate on the albumins the rate constant of eosin phosphorescence decay grows and the intensity of eosin phosphorescence decreases. It is assumed that these changes are connected with the denaturing of blood plasma albumins by sodium dodecylsulfate.

Fluorescence and spectrophotometric methods have been used for investigation of nicotine action on the state and mobility of the surface water. The surfaces of membranes and proteins were simulated with the help of liposomes and ultradispersive diamonds consequently. Nicotine was shown to reduce the stability of liposomes and to change the aggregative ability of ultradispersive diamonds. The wave-like curves for the nicotine concentration dependences of the pointed features were observed. Such shape of responses was suggested to be due to the changing in structure and dynamics of water hydrogen bonds net near the surface of the model systems induced by nicotine molecules. The surface water phase was supposed to be one of signal elements ofthe ligand receptor recognition process.

The optical properties of human maxillary sinus mucosa were measured in the wavelength range 400-2000 nm. The measurements were carried out using the commercially available spectrophotometer with the integrating sphere. The inverse adding-doubling method has been used to determine the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients from the measurements. Diffusion of Methylene Blue in the mucous tissue has been studied in vitro and value of the diffusion coefficient of Methylene Blue in the tissue has been estimated at 20°C as (4.77±2.9)x10^-7 cm²/sec.

The method of the local (>200 pm) functional injury of somatic frog's nerve using UV-A radiation of N2 laser (λ=337nm , P~10-100 mW) was realized. The level of injury was assessed from the decrease of compound action potential of the nerve stimulated extracellularly by electrical pulses of millisecond duration. Study of dynamic response of the bundle of axons revealed the decrease of the number of action potential which can be generated (less than 1O). This decrease may be attributed to destruction of action transport or/and voltage-activated ion channels of axon membrane. The dose dependence of the level of nerve injury was studied using varied both intensity and duration of UV-A irradiation.

Influence of low-coherent speckles on the colonies grows is investigated. It has been demonstrated that effects of light on the inhibition or re-activation of cells are connected with speckle dynamics. The regimes of cell suspension perfusion with purpose of devitalization of hazard bacteria, caused very dangerous infections, are found. Mathematical model of interaction of low-coherent laser radiation with bacteria suspension has been proposed. Computer simulations of the processes of laser-cells interaction have been carried out.

The efficiency of staining hair with indocyanine green (ICG) solution depending on type of hair, natural color, staining time and other parameters was investigated. Bonding ICG with hair material occurs due to interaction between ICG molecules and keratinocyte albumin. The penetration of ICG dye into hair meets with difficulties owing to surface protective layer.

Strong light scattering in skin prevents precise targeting of optical energy in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Optical immersion based on matching refractive mdcx of scattering centers with that of surrounding matter through introduction of an exogenous index-matching agent can alleviate the problem. However, slow diffusion of the index-matching agent through skin barrier makes practical implementation of this approach difficult. We propose a method of accelerating penetration of the index-matching compounds by enhancing skin permeability through creating a lattice of micro-zones (islets) of limited thermal damage in the stratum comeum. Two index-matching agents, glucose and glycerol, were tested. Glycerol used as index-matching agent gave noticeably better clearance then 40% glucose solution.

In this article we made an attempt to consider some problems of Russia in the field of innovations. So the survey of situation with Russian innovation structures was given and also the necessity of region informatization was underlined. Moreover the basic problems in the field of innovations were revealed: the lack of experienced personal, bureaucracy barriers and not clear "rules of game" in the field of innovation activity. On top of that we were able to examine the activity of innovation enterprise ("Volgasvyazmontaj" Saratov, Russia).

Optical imaging and tomography in tissues can facilitate the quantitative study of several important chromophores and fluorophores in-vivo. Due to this fact, there has been great interest in developing imaging systems offering quantitative information on the location and concentration of chromophores and fluorescent probes. However, most imaging systems currently used in reasearch make use of fiber technology for delivery and detection, which restricts the size ofthe photon collecting arrays leading to insufficient spatial sampling and field of view. To enable large data sets and full 3600angular measurements, we developed a novel imaging system that enables 3D imaging of fluorescent signals in bodies of arbitrary shapes in a non-contact geometry in combination with a 3D surface reconstruction algorithm. The system is appropriate for in-vivo small animal imaging of fluorescent probes. The system consists of a rotating sample holder and a lens coupled CCD camera in combination with a fiber coupled scanning device. The accuracy of the system in obtaining the surface reconstruction was measured to be in the order of 1μm.

The depth-resolved autofluorescence ofrabbit oral tissue, normal and dysplastic human ectocervical tissue within l20μm depth were investigated utilizing a confocal fluorescence spectroscopy with the excitations at 355nm and 457nm. From the topmost keratinizing layer of oral and ectocervical tissue, strong keratin fluorescence with the spectral characteristics similar to collagen was observed. The fluorescence signal from epithelial tissue between the keratinizing layer and stroma can be well resolved. Furthermore, NADH and FADfluorescence measured from the underlying non-keratinizing epithelial layer were strongly correlated to the tissue pathology. This study demonstrates that the depth-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy can reveal fine structural information on epithelial tissue and potentially provide more accurate diagnostic information for determining tissue pathology.

The primary absorber in dental resins is the photoinitiators, which start the photo polymerization process. We studied the quantum yield of conversion of camphorquinone (CQ), a blue light photoinitiator, using 3M FreeLight LED lamp as the light curing unit. The molar extinction coefficient, ε₄₆₉, of CQ was measured to be 46±2 cm^-1/(mol/L) at 469 nm. The absorption coefficient change to the radiant exposure was measured at three different irradiances. The relationship between the CQ absorption coefficient and curing lamp radiant exposure was the same for different irradiances and fit an exponential function: μ_a469(H)= μ_ao exp(-H/H_threshold), where μ_ao is 4.46±0.05 cm^-1, and H_threshold=43±4 J/cm². Combining this exponential relationship with CQ molar extinction coefficient and the absorbed photon energy (i.e., the product of the radiant exposure with the absorption coefficient), we plotted CQ concentration [number of molecules/cm³] as a function of the accumulated absorbed photons per volume. The slope of the relationship is the quantum yield of the CQ conversion. Therefore, in our formulation (0.7 w% CQ with reducing agents 0.35 w% DMAEMA and 0.05 w% BHT) the quantum yield was solved to be 0.07±0.01 CQ conversion per absorbed photon.

We report on the development of an optical-fiber-based diagnostic instrument to determine the local optical properties of a turbid media. The system relies on making differential diffuse reflection measurements. We present a method to correct for the variations in the spectral characteristics of the two spectrometers. We also introduce a novel method to evaluate the differential reflectance by encoding a relative wavelength sensitivity constant into the signal processing to account for differences in the spectral sensitivity between spectrometers. This method allows us to record differential reflectance without needing to make additional reference measurements before an experiment to account for spectral variation of the lamp.

Despite advanced scientific and technological (S&T) expertise, the Russian economy is presently based upon manufacturing and raw material exports. Currently, governmental incentives are attempting to leverage the existing scientific infrastructure through the concept of building a Knowledge Based Economy. However, socio-economic changes do not occur solely by decree, but by alteration of approach to the market. Here we describe the "Guided Entrepreneurship" plan, a series of steps needed for generation of an army of entrepreneurs, which initiate a chain reaction of S&T-driven growth. The situation in Russia is placed in the framework of other areas where Guided Entrepreneurship has been successful.