The method of tape stripping in combination with spectroscopic measurements is a simple and noninvasive method for the analysis of dermatopharmacokinetics of cosmetic products and topically applied drugs. The absorbance at 430 nm was used for the characterization of the amount of corneocytes on the tape strips. It was compared to the increase of weight of the tapes after removing them from the skin surface. The penetration profiles of two UV filter substances used in sunscreens were determined. The combined method of tape stripping and spectroscopic measurements can be also used for the investigation of the dermatopharmacokinetics of topically applied drugs passing through the skin. Differences in the penetration profiles of the steroid compound clobetasol, applied in the same concentration in different formulations on the skin are presented.

In this presentation, the application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to the prevention of myocardial infarction and early identification of osteoarthritis is discussed. Myocardial infarction or a heart attack is the leading cause of death worldwide. It results from an acute loss of blood flow to a region of the heart resulting in death to that heart tissue. Most heart attacks are caused by small, thin walled lipid filled plaques which can not be detected by currently available imaging technologies. This paper outlines some of the advances demonstrating the potential of OCT for the identification of high risk plaque. Osteoarthritis is a major cause of mobility in the industrialized world. The hallmark of the disease is a degradation of articular cartilage. As new therapeutics have been shown to be effective in animal models, there effectiveness in humans remains unclear as there is no effective method for accurate monitoring changes in cartilage. In the second part of this manuscript, the effectiveness of OCT for monitoring articular cartilage is described.

Raman spectra of crystalline subglobular proteins exhibit peaks in the low-frequency spectral range. These peaks can be related to resonance oscillations of subglobules and possibly play an important role in the catalytic act. The low-frequency spectral features were not observed in aqueous solutions. According to the hydrodynamics, the corresponding oscillations must be overdamped. The results obtained by the methods of molecular dynamics how that the Q-factor of subglobular oscillations can be larger than 10, which stimulated further experimental studies of solutions of proteins.

Psoralens combined with UVA irradiation are used for the treatment of skin and autoimmune diseases. In the present paper the involvement of psoralen photooxidation products (POP) into induction of PUVA-erythema was studied. Under low fluence rate (LFR) UVA-irradiation and/or at low psoralen concentrations POP-products were predominantly formed, which were detected by spin trp method and possessed immunosuppressive activity. Under high fluence rate (HFR) UVA-irradiation and/or at high psoralen concentrations POP₂-products were predominantly formed, which could be detected by Fe(II)-induced chemiluminescence and possessed hemolytic activity. Both PUVA- and POP-induced hemolysis of erythrocytes as well as PUVA-erythema were strongly activated with the increase in UVA-fluence rate. Both LFR and HFR PUVA-hemolysis as well as POP-hemolysis were strongly activated by Fe(II)-ions, bivalent cation chelators produced different effects on these processes depending on UVA fluence rate. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), and o- fenanthroline were found to inhibit LFT PUVA-erythema and enhanced HFR PUVA-erythema. Similar regulatory effects of EDTA were found for PUVA- and POP-induced hemolysis. EDTA inhibited LFT PUVA-hemolysis and activated HFR PUVA- and POP-hemolysis that suggests a participation of POP₁- products in induction of LFR PUVA-hemolysis and LFT PUVA- erythema and POP₂-products in induction of HFR PUVA- hemolysis and HFR PUVA-erythema.

It is possible to delineate the contribution of surface layers from the bulk optical properties of the medium by using selective adjacent distances of the detection fibers in an optical probe with small source-detectors distances. Using an optical probe with small source-detector separation, the measurement at r < 0.8 mm carries more information about the surface layers, the measurement at greater r > 1.4 mm is dominated by optical properties of deeper layers and is less sensitive to differences in surface optical properties.

Transient global cerebral ischemia accompanying cardiac arrest (CA) often leads to permanent brain damage with poor neurological outcome. The precise chain of events underlying the cerebral damage after CA is still not fully understood. Progress in this area may profit from the development of new non-invasive tools that provide real-time information on the vascular and cellular processes preceding the damage. One way to assess these processes is through near-IR spectroscopy, which has demonstrated the ability to quantify changes in blood volume, hemoglobin oxygenation, cytochrome oxidase redox state, and tissue water content. Here we report on the successful implementation of this form of spectroscopy in a rat model of asphyxial CA and resuscitation, under hypothermic and normothermic conditions. Preliminary results are shown that provide a new temporal insight into the cerebral circulation during CA and post-resuscitation.

The aim of our study was to explore the possibility of detecting haemodynamic changes in the brain using frequency- domain near-IR spectroscopy by exploiting the phase of the intensity modulated optical signal. To obtain optical signals with eh highest possible signal-to-noise ratio, we performed simultaneous NIRS-fMRI measurements, with subsequent correlation of the time courses of both measurements. The cognitive paradigm used arithmetic calculations, with optical signals acquired with sensors placed on the forehead. In three subjects we demonstrated correlation between the haemodynamic signals obtained using NIRS and BOLD fMRI.

We report a calibrated fluorescence imaging technique by taking the ratio of the fluorescence image to the cross- polarized reflection image. The imaging technique has been applied to tissue examination in vivo. The results show that the inhomogeneity of fluorescence excitation and collection across the irregular surface of the examined tissue is calibrated to a great extent. It is demonstrated that different tissue can be clearly separated endoscopically and in vivo based on the calibrated fluorescence signal at the sites of oral cavity, oropharynx and cervix.

Methods of polarized fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy were used to characterize the orientation and rotational diffusion capability of merocyanine 540 molecule bind to the model and biological membranes of single isolated cells and multilamellar liposomes. To estimate the binding properties of merocyanine in gel and fluid phases of the lipid bilayer, temperatures below and over phase-transition point of the lipid were used. Using a fluorescence microscope equipped with excitation and emission polarizers an effect of geometrically selective excitation was observed, indicating that the orientation of merocyanine chromophore is dominantly perpendicular to the membrane surface of synthetic liposomes. Using the microscope setup combined with pulsed laser excitation and gated MCP image amplifier a time-resolved fluorescence images of the phospholipid vesicles stained by merocyanine 540 were obtained, showing no apparent spatial domains of different fluorescence lifetimes in contrast to highly structured images of fluorescence intensity.

An acousto-optical method for the determination of the mechanical loss factor in biological tissues is presented. Measurements of the loss factor were made on a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) phantom, elastin derived from a bovine nuchal ligament, and porcine skin. The acousto-optical values of the loss factor were compared with those measured with a more conventional mechanical testing system. The values for the mechanical loss factor for PVC and nuchal elastin as calculated from the acousto-optical method agreed with those determined using the mechanical testing system. However, there was a significant difference between the two methods for the porcine skin. We hypothesize that the acousto- optical method measures only the stratum corneum of the skin while the mechanical method evaluates the bulk properties of the skin. The rigid, keratinous fibers of the stratum corneum are believed to be responsible for the lower loss factor measured with the acousto-optical method.

New objective methods to measure the optical aberrations of the eye are reviewed, in particular probably more representative ones: Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor and Laser Ray Tracing. They are shown to be robust and provide highly reliable data, which is permitting to obtain many new results about the optics of the eye in basic and clinical studies. In addition, different experiments have demonstrated the correction of eye's aberration. Again tow representative approaches are reviewed. The first results were obtained with the close-loop adaptive optics system developed at the University of Rochester. Later on, phase plates made by photo sculpture in photoresist, have also permitted the correction of ocular aberrations. This is a new, but already very active field of research, which has opened many new questions and a wide variety of applications.

Non-invasive blood glucose determination has been investigated by more than 100 research groups in the world during the past fifteen years. The commonly optical methods are based on the capacity of near-IR light to penetrate a few hundreds micrometers or a few millimeters into human tissue where it interacts with glucose. A change of glucose concentration may modify the optical parameters in tissue, with the result that its glucose concentration can be extracted by analyzing the received optical signals. This paper demonstrates that glucose affects on the scattering coefficient of human blood, by applying the streak camera and pulsed photoacoustic techniques; and drinking water seems also affecting on PA signal from skin surface.

We develop novel optical and ultrasound techniques for medical noninvasive diagnostics and treatment. In this review, we present our results on the development of: (1) optoacoustic technique for detection of small tumors; (2) optoacoustic monitoring of blood oxygenation; (3) optoacoustic monitoring during thermotherapy; (4) optical coherence tomography for monitoring of blood glucose concentration; and (5) laser- and ultrasound-based anti- cancer drug delivery technique. Motivation, experimental methods, results obtained in vitro and in vivo with the use of these techniques are presented.

Laser immunotherapy is a special cancer treatment modality using an intratumor injection of a special formulation consisting of a novel immunoadjuvant and a laser-absorbing dye, followed by a non-invasive near-IR laser irradiation. Our early experiments using a metastatic mammary rat tumor model showed that laser immunotherapy could cause acute selective photothermal tumor destruction and induce a systemic, long-term specific anti-tumor immunity. In the current study, laser immunotherapy was used to treat metastatic prostate tumors in Copenhagen male rats. The transplantable tumors metastasize mainly to the lung and the lung cancer is usually the cause of death. Two experimental were performed in our study. The first was to study the effect of laser immunotherapy on the tumor burdens, both the primary and the metastasis in the lung. The second was to study the effect of laser immunotherapy on the long-term survival of the tumor-bearing rats. For comparison, some rat tumors were also treated by the laser-dye combination to study the photothermal effect. Tour results showed that both the photothermal effect and the laser immunotherapy could slow the growth of primary tumors and the metastatic tumors. The laser-dye-immunoadjuvant treatment resulted in more than 20 percent long-term survival rate in tumor-bearing rats. Our experimental results indicate that the laser immunotherapy has a great potential in treating metastatic tumors.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a technique that allows the constituents of complex biological mixtures to be resolved with respect to their molecular weight. This is a technique that has been used to identify protein or nucleic acid fragments, and it is now being applied to allow molecular analysis of laser-tissue ablation products. The hope is to allow for a greater understanding of the ablation process than is currently possible, as the effects of the interaction at a molecular level can be identified directly rather than inferred form other related phenomena such as mechanical, acoustic or thermal measurements. Here the preliminary work using This technique is presented, and plans for further work in the autumn at FELIX are outlined.

In articles are metered the dependence of the half-width (Delta) (omega) of light intensity fluctuation spectra, scattered by disk shaped and spherical particles under circular and linear polarization, at the receiver and source under multiple scattering conditions, has been studied. We show the speed with which polarized radiation is depolarized in biotissues depends on its polarization in conditions of multiple dispersion on large biological particles experimentally.

An automatic device for high-temporal resolution of the process of red blood sedimentation was designed. The position of the boundary between red blood and plasma may be registered each 30 sec in several pipettes simultaneously with +/- 10 mkm precision. Fractional rates of the boundary movement are deduced with high accuracy. Data are processed by a PC and presented as velocity-time curves and the curves describing time evolution of the boundary position. The results obtained with this equipment demonstrate non- monotonous character of the rate of red blood sedimentation and revealed several peculiarities of macroscopic stages and microkinetic of the process. Changes of biophysical-chemical state of blood related to changes in physiological state of a donor or under the action of different substances may result either in improving, or in worsening of studied parameters of blood sedimentation dynamics. A slight dilution of blood with saline in vitro leads as a rule to decreasing of sedimentation rate and improving of microkinetic parameters of the process of the red blood sedimentation. Adding of highly diluted hydrogen peroxide to blood samples of patients provides for the oxygenation of the system, and result in the improving of sedimentation dynamics: decreasing of average sedimentation rate and prolonging of macrokinetic states. The parameters of this reaction depend upon the metabolic potential of blood, the functional state of all its cellular and plasma elements, and in complex they reflect the physiological state of the individual Any changes in parameters of macro- and microkinetics may reflect the pattern of oxygen release- delivery-consumption in blood. ESR-graphy may give much more information in comparison to the routine ESR-test and allows to consider blood sedimentation not from the viewpoint of separate physico-chemical parameters, but treating it as a metabolically active system.

The influence of three reconstruction algorithms on spatial resolution of optical diffuse tomography by Photon Average Trajecotries (PAT) method was investigated. The resolution was estimated using the model of spatially invariant linear filter by the conventient procedure usually used in CT. The resolution of absorbing inhomogeneities of model objects is shown to go for a theoretical limit of PAT method and the algorithms considered appears to reconstruct optical diffuse images without complementary limitations on spatial resolution.

In this work we have suggested a possibility of biotissue scattering parameters reconstruction from the images obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique. The existing theoretical model of OCT signal from a turbid medium is suggested for estimation of biotissue optical properties. On the basis of this model, a theoretical dependence of OCT signal versus imaging depth is constructed for different biotissue structures. The comparison of experimental and theoretical dependence of the OCT signal versus probing depth was performed to evaluate optical parameters of the tissue. An example of the assessment of biotissue backscattering coeffiecnt from its experimental tomogram is proposed.

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in response of neuronal and glial cells to photosensitization with low concentration of sulphonated aluminium phthalocianine Photosens was investigated. Changes in neuron firing and in the structure of chromatin morphology of neuron and glial nuclei were studied using PKC activator 12-0-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13- acetate (TPA) or PKC inhibitors staurosporine, hypercinin or cheleythrine. Protein kinase C is shown to be involved in the neuronal and glial cell responses. Its activation by TPA decreased neuron lifetime, caused nucleus swelling characteristic for necrosis, strongly suppressed apoptotic death of glial cells, and induced gliosis. These effects were probably associated with PKC-induced Ca²⁺ entry into cytosol. The possible cell death mechanism in this case was nectosis. Inhibition of PK, oppositely, increased neuron lifetime and caused a moderate nucleus swelling. Cheleythrine exerted pro-apoptotic effect on the glial cells surrounding the neuron, whereas other PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and hypercini, suppressed apoptosis.

The version of a Monte-Carlo method for simulation of passage of a laser radiation through dispersing media based on use of an integrated evaluation algorithm is described. The algorithm allows one to take into account multi-layer medium, reflection and refraction of light on the boundaries between layers, and also frequency shift at light scattering. The results for skin tissues and polystyrene solution are submitted. The given algorithm is used for modeling processes taking place at two-photon photodynamic therapy.

The laser-induced fluorescence spectra of steroid hormones - estradiol, estriol, estrone, androstenedione - are obtained at excitation of the fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG laser radiation. The quantum yields of fluorescence of these substances were rated by means of the relative method. They are 1.11 X 10^-1, 5.20 X 10^-3, 8.47 X 10^-5. The water solution of tryptophan was used as a standard. The set-up sensitivity for high and average quantum yields substances has been defined.

Phylogenetic analysis of the cloned fragments 1 and 2 of putative ceruloplasmin receptor was made. Fragment 1 is highly homologous to all known Cp-like ferroxidases. It contains mononuclear ferroxidase center that is highly conservative and similar to all analogous centers of Cp-like ferroxidases. Fragment 2 nucleotide sequence has near 70 percent of homology to exon 16 of Cp gene, but has no amino acid homology. It has a distant resemblance with transmembrane domains of other membrane bound Cp-like ferroxidases. Their amphipatic profiles are similar. Sequence with 90 percent of homology to fragment 2 was found in the published human genome on Internet site NCBI. It is localized on chromosome 3 on the complementary strand in the region of exon 16 of Cp gene. The interspecies comparison of Cp-mRNA was made for evaluation of biological significance of secondary structure of the area between 2670-2820 b.p. The level of synonymous substitutions is essentially lower and the ratio of synonymous to non-synonymous substitutions is essentially higher in this region, than in the whole coding region of Cp. This data show the role of secondary structure of the nucleotide sequence on the border between exons 15 and 16 in post transcriptional processing of pre- mRNA Cp.

This paper presents a highly sensitive method of measuring mechanical strains. We combined the existing laser speckles technique and the new data-processing approach based on the wavelets. We have applied the directional continuous wavelet transform, which yields decompositions of image either in terms of dilation and rotation or time and rotation. In our study these properties of the wavelet transform have been used for evaluation of the spectral characteristics of speckle images and to track the dynamics of speckle motions.

The efficiency of noninvasive laser fluorescent diagnostics for the real clinical practice is now widely discussed in special publications. One of the most perspective application area of this diagnostic technique is the oncology. For that the overwhelming majority of the research is concentrated now in the problem of the differential diagnostics of the 'normal tumor' case for different locations and clinical forms of the young tumors. Meanwhile, the fluorescent diagnostics can have high possibilities also as a monitoring of the efficiency for different methods of tumors treatment, the radiotherapy for instance. In this report the examples of the use of laser noninvasive fluorescent diagnostics in a real clinical practical of the Radiological Department of MONIKI are presented. There was under our investigation the group of around 100 patients with different oral mucosal tumors, for whom a course of a radiotherapy treatment was purposed and for whom the research background flourescent noninvasive monitoring was applied during the course of the care. In the report the efficiency of such laser fluorescent monitoring is discussed. It is shown that there were the strong differences in fluorescent spectra for both different forms of mucosal tumor and for het same one. In the number of clinical cases there were not marked any special fluorescent signal for a mucosal strong tumor before a treatment. During the radiotherapy treatment the different response in fluorescent spectra were observed as a reaction of tissues after the single (gamma) -ray exposure and daily one as well. All this presented results allow us to propose a not quite correct existed explanation of the nature of the biotissues fluorescent phenomenon in meaning of the diagnostics of soft tissue cancer cases.

The software supporting SPM is a complex which includes a control device and data processing parts. The device control part often depends on physical realization of the microscope. A new program which is developing in our lab is not connected to a definite scanning device. It has a common interface to all devices. That makes possible the interaction with any scanning microscope even non-existed yet. Software also includes easy comprehensible user interface, algorithms library, database, internet connection and import/export modules.

The software system for 3D visualization of micro objects surfaces for scanning probe microscopy is developed. The system is used as a software part of software/hardware complex of scanning probe microscope (SPM) and its kinds. The system represent the results of microscope work in 3D- view. System has convenient GUI and high level of functionality in modes of visualization and in saving result images. Program allows to operate with image of surface in real time by performing scaling, rotation, moving, setting of lighting and color values, setting level of detail for surface in real time by performing scaling, rotation, moving, setting of lighting and color values, setting level of detail for surface rendering. This viewer works together with another part of software system that is responsible for controlling the SPM. The program also can be used as an independent view of scanning probe microscope files.

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of thin sections remains the major method of cells inner structure study with high resolution. However, the present-day technique of cells preparation make it impossible to study a number of biological samples, such as very small quantity of lymph cells of little insects. A new technique of cells preparation has been developed in our lab, which allows to obtain a thin sections of ultra small quantity of cells. Structure of lymph cells of flea was investigated by the technique.

The vast majority of information about cells and cell organelle structure were obtained by means of transmission electron microscopy investigation of cells serial thin sections. However often it is very difficult to derive information about 3D structure of specimens from such electron micrographs. A new program restoring 3D image of cells from the serial thin sections micrographs have been developed in our lab. The program makes it possible to visualize a 3D image of cell and obtain image of inner cell structure in arbitrary plane. The plague bacteria and anthrax cells with spore were visualized with resolution about 70 nm by means of the program.

Cascade of reactions of cAMP-dependent signaling pathway in melanocytes is investigated by mathematical modeling. Model takes into account (alpha) -melanocyte stimulating hormone binding to melanocortin-1 receptor, adenylate cyclase activation by G-protein, increase of the intracellular cAMP concentration, PKA activation by cAMP, CREB phosphorylation by PKA, microphthalmia gene expression, microphthalmia binding to tyrosinase gene promoter, increase of tyrosinase synthesis. Positive and negative feedback loops of this system are analyzed.

Polarization imaging of superficial layers of multiply scattering medium with selective localized absorber is discussed. This method is based on the analysis of polarization spectra of backscattered partially polarized light. The polarization spectra of a backscattered light are studied for phantom scattering media and for in vivo tissues. The relations between media scattering properties, the depth of absorber location, and the polarization degree as well as polarization difference reflectance spectra are discussed. It is shown that polarization degree spectra and apparent optical density spectra have the similar behavior. The depth of location of absorbing object may be evaluated by use of analysis of polarization difference reflectance spectra. This analysis can be provided on the basis of the concept of polarization decay in scattering media.

In this study the action of different doses of glucose solution on scattering properties of skin in vivo have been investigated. The application of glucose as hyperosmotic agent leads to the significant increasing of the tissue optical transmittance. There are dose dependent and time dependent effects of glucose on the skin reflectance. The good clearing of tissue is given after undercutaneous administration of 40 percent and 35 percent glucose solutions. The application of such doses of glucose allows one to visualize the small blood vessels in rat skin. The optimal interval of time for the clearing of rat skin is 15 minutes after injection. The method of clearing tissue is conventient, cheap and simple for The diagnostic of microcirculation of skin in vivo.

A variant of the experimental implementation of the quasi- elastic light scattering (QELS) method for determining the average particle size in liposome suspensions in the homodyne mode was considered. The aim of the investigations was to compare the data obtained with the result of a version of the method of spectroturbidimetry (STM) previously developed to determine the size and shell thickness of liposomes. For determination of the corresponding correlation functional, an experimental setup was used that was base don a helium-neon laser with a computer sound card as the analog-digital converter. Monodisperse suspension of latexes and colloidal gold as well as E. coli cell suspension were used as the test objects. The tests showed good accuracy of the QELS determination of the particle diameter d in the region of d < 100. Below this boundary, the accuracy of the particle size determination is limited by the relatively low resolving capacity of the analog-digital converter of the given type. It was established that the results of the determination of the average particle size in liposome polydisperse suspension obtained by QELS and STM were in satisfactory agreement.

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography is a new important technique in biomedical imaging. To describe PS- OCT we have developed a Monte Carlo model for polarized light propagation in a multiple layered birefringent scattering medium based on the Jones formalism. Our algorithm makes it possible to derive the depth-resolved Stokes vector and Mueller matrix, which provides a compete characterization of the optical polarization properties of a biological tissue.

One of the goals of this experimental research is elucidation of the influence of laser radiation on the functional state of the sympathetic-adrenal system of a microorganism, which to a large extent defines the intensity of an inflammatory reaction development, and in particular regeneration and repair process in the zone of post traumatic influence of infectious and non-infectious pathogen factors. We have also studied the alteration of adrenaline and noradrenaline content in the wound itself in the dynamics of regeneration.

A quantitative flow microfluorometric method was used to study the intensity of human blood phagocyte degranulation in response to viable staphylococcus aureus or Yersinia pestis cells. Microorganisms were added directly to defibrinated whole blood. Uninfected and infected blood samples were incubated at 37 degrees C to 8 h. The results were recorded in dynamics after the staining of whole blood with acridine orange solution. Lymphocytes with a low azurophilic granule per cell content were discriminated from phagocytes by the measurement of single cell red cytoplasmic granule fluorescence. 30,000 cells in each sample were examined. S. aureus cells caused a dose-dependent decrease in the number of phagocytes having a high red cytoplasmic fluorescence intensity and a corresponding increase in the weakly fluorescence cell population. In the presence of an initial S. aureus-to-phagocyte ratio more than 1:1, degranulation was measured after 3 h of incubation and to 8 h the percentage of degranulated phagocytes was at least 100 percent Y. pestis cells grown for 48 h at 28 degrees C caused at same condition as the degranulation only about 50 percent of cells. Y.pestis EV cells preincubated in broth for 12 h at 37 degrees C did no stimulate the phahocyte degranulation. The results of these studies suggest that analysis of cell populations via flow microfluorimeter technology may be a powerful tool in analysis bacterial infection.

By means of the electrophoresis in the flow of liquid and electron microscopy the location of several thallium- containing compounds on the cell surface of the plague microbe was identified. The substances which possess high antioxidant properties are proposed as basis for elaboration of optimal structure of substrates promoting the maximal survival of bacterial cells int eh process of liophylization.

Using flow cytometry a low DNA content in inoculated Yersinia pestis EV cells have been shown at the beginning of culture in Hottinger broth pH 7.2. The dependence serotonin action of its concentration on DNA content have been demonstrated. Serotonin accelerated Yersinia pestis culture growth during cultivation in Hottinger broth pH 7.2 both at 28 degrees C and 37 degrees C at concentration of 10^-5 M.

Laser speckle based direction sensitive flow velocity sensor has been developed for use with transmission microscope for in vivo bioflow monitoring. The instrument allows for measurements of blood and lymph flow parameters in micro vessels simultaneously with biomicroscopic measurements. The performance of the instrument was tested using the model of lymph micro vessel and was illustrated by the results of in vivo experiments on micro vessels of rat mesentery.

Registration and identification of pulse signal requires the development and the use of special diagnostic equipment and modern methods of processing of the registered data. There are recognized that photoelectric and piezoelectric gauges are the most perspective converters for measurement of pulse signal. In this paper the approach to registration of pulse curves on the basis of the optical gauge is developed. The problem of identification of pulse signal is considered as the problem of recognition of images. The system of identification of pulse waves is offered. It is functioning as a visual system of recognition of images of the man and is based on artificial neural networks.

In this article we analyze the mechanism of movement of red blood cells in very narrow capillaries. This biological process was considered on the base of theoretical works of Lighthill and Fitz-Gerald. Capillaries with diameter a little more than 10 microns are investigated in details. Optical model of blood microflow in smallest capillaries is developed.

46 children with acute intestinal infections were studied. The development of pathological process was associated with the activation of lipid peroxidation, the decrease of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in erythrocytes as well as with the fall of vitamin E content in blood plasma. Vitamin E and IR laser irradiation use in complex treatment showed the best therapeutic effect.

The nonlinear response of the Hodgkin-Huxley model neuron with external electrical pulsed was investigated. Dynamic response of somatic frog nerve on electrical pulsed duration was study in vitro. Transcutaneous millisecond of excitation of the ganglion cell of the human retina by electric uses is used for diagnosis, determination of the extent of optic nerve damage, and also partial restoration of visual function in patients with glaucoma, myopia and different types of optic nerve atrophy. Correlation between the threshold of phosphen formation and duration of the stimulating electric pulses was determined experimentally in normal eyes and in eyes with various pathologies. Comparison of optical and electrical scintillating frequency gives information about the dynamic processes in the normal and pathological retina.

The method for monitoring of involuntary eye motion on the basis of image processing and analysis technology is posed. The efficiency of the program for the object movement analysis by its trajectory and spectrum is demonstrated. The results of measuring of involuntary eye movements of patients with nystagmus are presented. The measuring results characterizing the nystagmus status changing before and after the squint correction is demonstrated.

Method of acoustical thermometry based on the registration of acoustical radiation produced by thermal motion of atoms and molecules allows mapping internal temperature field inside biological tissues. Investigations in this area are directed to the improvement of receiving methods and processing algorithms. Present paper is devoted to the investigation of one method of acoustical radiation measurement using acoustical thermograph with focused antenna. An operating laboratory prototype of acoustical thermograph is described. The results of experimentally measured receiving field of focused antenna in focal plane are presented. The possibility of localization of heated sources by means of acoustical thermograph with focused antenna has been demonstrated experimentally. This work was supported by RFBR and 6th competitive expertise of RAS young scientists.

The choice of acoustical receiver for deep investigating of biological tissues by pulsed optoacoustic (OA) method is described. Acoustical receiver is one of the fundamental parts of the device for AO diagnostics. This unit includes acoustical transducer and matched radio frequency amplifier. Received signals are stored and processed mathematically. Complexity of such processing is strongly dependent on acoustical receiver parameters. Acoustical receivers diffuser by used transducer type, registered signal frequency bandwidth, measurement resolution and sensitivity. All these factors determine quality of object tomographic image. The report includes both theoretical and experimental results demonstrating that application of resonant acoustical receivers with simplified transducers allows to improve inverse filtering procedure providing spatial resolution comparable with that for quasi-resonant transducers. This work was supported by RFBR.

Stochastic bending oscillations of cell membrane and deformations of erythrocytes by high frequency electric field are very promising phenomena for medical and environmental diagnostic applications. Experimental observations showed high sensitivity of these phenomena to variations of erythrocytes mechanical properties caused by physico-chemical factors and by pathological changes in the cell. However, for unambiguous interpretation of the measured dependencies, and for adequate relation of their changes to the alterations of particular mechanical parameters of erythrocytes, a comprehensive theoretical basis is required. This work present and discusses the fundamentals of the flicker spectroscopy and dielectro- deformational spectroscopy of erythrocytes in a view of possible diagnostics applications.

Using the relations of geometrical optics (GO) we performed computer calculations of single light scattering form large particles of arbitrary shape and structure and compared the result obtained for spheroids to similar results obtained on the base of hybrid anomalous diffraction+Mi- approximation. We used the indicatrices, obtained with the help of GO and AD+Mi-approximations, to develop a new method of the calculation of multiple light scattering from suspensions of large nonspherical particles. As an example of application of the method the calculation of light scattering from a suspension of particles - models of erythrocytes, deformed in shear flow, is executed.

Photon correlation technique and standard optical reflectance spectroscopy are used for the in vivo monitoring of skin blood microcirculation. We undertook the experiments to establish the effect of mechanical pressure of the probe on the skin surface. We have presented the results of experiments that, we believe, will contribute the understanding of in vivo clinical measurements of skin blood microcirculation. We show that even minimal mechanical pressure on the skin surface produced by a probe affects skin blood microcirculation and the result of its in vivo measurements, respectively. To analyze skin blood microcirculations we propose to use the photon correlation technique extended for the transition regime of scattering from single to multiple.

The formation of radicals upon UV and IR laser irradiation of some biological tissues and their components was studied by the EPR technique. The radical decay kinetics in body tissue specimens after their irradiation with UV light were described by various models. By the spin trapping technique, it was shown that radicals were not produced during IR laser irradiation of cartilaginous tissue. A change in optical absorption spectra and the dynamics of optical density of cartilaginous tissue, fish scale, and a collagen film under exposure to laser radiation in an air, oxygen, and nitrogen atmosphere was studied.

Propagation of bioelectric potentials generated in green plants by light and millimeter wavelength range irradiation was experimentally investigated. The standard technique of multi-electrode superficial potentials measuring was used. The carried out experiments continue the previous investigations of light and millimeter waves influence on green plants. Theoretical part includes the development of numerical models of bioelectric potentials propagation and measurement.

We present a new method of polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography that measures backscattered intensity, birefringence, and fast optic axis orientation with only one single A-scan per transverse measurement location. The method employs a standard two-channel PS-OCT setup in combination with a phase sensitive recording of the interferometric signals in the two orthogonally polarized detection channels. We use an algorithm previously reported in the context of Doppler OCT and differential phase contrast OCT to extract amplitude and phase information contained in the interferometric signals. While the birefringence information is obtained from the signal amplitudes, as usual in PS-OCT, a careful analysis of the propagating beams by the Jones calculus reveals, that the information on the fast axis orientation is encoded entirely in the phase difference of the interferometric signals. We demonstrate our method and repot on accuracy and precision of birefringence and fast axis measurements in a transparent technical object. Finally, we present PS-OCT maps of birefringence, and what we believe for the first time, of fast axis orientation recorded in scattering tissue.

The coherent properties of the temporally and spectrally narrowed emission of organic dyes hosted inside artificial scattering matrices, after one- and two-photon excitation, were investigated by performing photon-counting measurements. The excitation source was a frequency doubled 200 femtosecond pulsed laser emitting at 400 nm for one- photon or the 800 nm fundamental emission for two-photon excitation. Spectral and temporal features were simultaneously recorded using a spectrograph and a streak camera operating on the photon counting mode. Photon number distributions were thus created. The temporal coherence of the laser-like emission above and bellow the excitation energy threshold has been investigated from the photon number distributions obtained.

Experimental values of the extinction of Escherichia coli cells water suspension by Bryant et al. are used for the refractive index determination of these bacteria. The real suspension of E. coli cells is modeled as a system of identical randomly oriented homogeneous circular cylinders. This model permits one to determine the volume average value of the refractive index of the optically soft particles with a narrow size distribution. The discrete Shifrin method is used to calculate the extinction cross section of the finite cylinders. The results indicate that the relative refractive index is practically independent of the wavelength of the incident radiation in the range from 0.4 micrometers to 0.8 micrometers . The mean value of 1.0387 in this range corresponds to the absolute refractive index value equal to 1.384 at 0.589 micrometers . The obtained value of refractive index of E. coli cells is somewhat lower than the result of immersion refractometry measured by Bryant et al.

Noninvasive monitoring of tissue optical properties in real time could significantly improve diagnostics and management of various diseases. Recently we proposed to use high- resolution Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technique for measurement of tissue scattering coefficient at the depth of up to 1mm. Our pilot studies performed in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that measurement of tissue scattering with this technique can potentially be applied for noninvasive monitoring of blood glucose concentration. High resolution and coherent photon detection of the OCT technique allowed detection of glucose-induced changes in the scattering coefficient. In this paper we report results of in vivo studies performed in dog, New Zealand rabbits, and first human subjects. OCT system with the wavelength of 1300 nm was used in our experiments. OCT signal slope was measured and compared with actual blood glucose concentration. Bolus glucose injections and glucose clamping administrations were used in animal studies. OCT signals were recorded form human subjects during oral glucose tolerance test. Results obtained form both animal and human studies show good correlation between slope of the OCT signals and actual blood glucose concentration measured using standard glucometesr. Sensitivity and accuracy of blood glucose concentrations monitoring with the OCT is discussed. Obtained result suggest that OCT is a promising technique for noninvasive monitoring of tissue analytes including glucose.

Comparative analysis of manifestation of finite absorption in scattering media is carried out for different detection geometries. Reflectance spectra were studied for phantom scattering media containing blood and melanin as absorbers. Apparent optical density spectra of phantom media are compared with similar spectra of water solutions of the blood and melanin for same concentrations of absorbers. The influence of scattering properties on optical density spectra is discussed with use of the model of diffuse light propagation in semi-infinite media.

The aggregation ability of erythrocytes of patients with coronary heart disease comparing to practically healthy persons and patients with coronary heart disease combined with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus depending on different glucose concentration in unguentums of blood incubates with the help of computer microphotometer - visual analyzer was studied. Two-phase behavior of erythrocytes size changing of practically healthy persons depending on glucose concentration in an incubation medium and instability erythrocyte systems of a whole blood to the influence of high glucose concentration were revealed. Influence of high glucose concentration on aggregation ability of erythrocytes of patients with coronary heart disease and its combination with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus was revealed.

In this work, we report on the optical properties of colloidal gold bioconjugates obtained by attaching protein molecules or oligonucleotide probes to the surface of the particles. Addition of complementary components to the bioconjugate probe results in a specific assembling of conjugates and can be monitored by light scattering and extinction spectra. To this end, we have developed a special attachment to the Specord M-40 spectrophotometer and a corresponding measurement procedure called by us differential light scattering spectroscopy. This method is suitable for the nearly simultaneous recording of extinction and static light scattering spectra of a simple that possesses overlapping spectral bands of absorption and light scattering.

The set of practical works on electronics as an introductory part of the special training laboratory on optical biophysics for the undergraduate and postgraduate students is presented. Presented materials were also discussed on SPIE's 7th International Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, 26-30 November, 2001.

The set of topically united practical works on coherent optics of scattering media dn interferometry of random phase objects of the special training laboratory on optical biophysics for the undergraduate and postgraduate students specialized in biophysics, biochemical physics and medical physics is described. Presented materials were also discussed on SPIE's 7th International Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics 2001, 26-30 November, 2001.

The set of optically united practical works on coherent- domain methods in biomedicine of the special training laboratory on optical biophysics for the undergraduate and postgraduate students specialized in biophysics, biochemical physics and medical physics is described.

The set of topically united practical works on in vivo reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy of the human skin of the special training laboratory on optical biophysics for the undergraduate and postgraduate students specialized in biophysics, biochemical physics and medical physics is described.

The set of educational-research practical works for postgraduate students of the special training laboratory on optical biophysics is described. Presented materials were also discussed on SPIE 7th International Conference on Education and Training in Optics and Photonics 2001, 26-30 November, 2001.