Low-intensity laser irradiation (LILI) is effectively used in clinical practice but the mechanisms of its stimulating action are still far from being understood completely and considered in the scientific literature only hypothetically. The main effects of LILI proved both in clinics and in experiments are bactericidal effect, vasodilatation, improved microcirculation, formation and growth of new microvessels, acceleration of wound healing, relieving of pain syndrome. We put forward a free radical conception underlying these effects. In this paper the experimental evidences of this conception is considered.

The antioxidant β-carotene and lycopene substances were detected non-invasively, in vivo in human skin using resonance Raman spectroscopy. Both substances were detected simultaneously. To distinguish between the substances, the Raman signals were excited at 488 nm and 514,5 nm simultaneously using a multilane Ar⁺ laser. The application of a fiber based optical imaging system allowed the detection of β-carotene and lycopene on any skin area. The disturbance of the measurements because of non-homogeneous skin pigmentation was avoided by using a measuring area of 28 mm². The minimum power density for registration of the Raman signals and their optimum relation was determined. The Raman spectroscopic method is well suited for the evaluation of the efficacy of topically or systematically applied amounts of β-carotene and lycopene.

The ideal treatment modality for tumors, particularly for those that metastasize to multiple remote sites, should eradicate the primary tumor and elicit a systemic, tumor-specific response leading to elimination of metastases and to long-term tumor immunity. Using the selective photothermal interaction as a precursor, laser immunotherapy was developed by introducing a novel immunoadjuvant administered in conjunction with the laser-absorbing dye. Specifically, an 805-nm laser and indocyanine green (ICG) was used for the selective photothermal interaction, and a novel immunoadjuvant, glycated chitosan (GC), was used as the immunological stimulant. The laser-ICG-GC combinations has been resulted in the following results in animal studies. (1) Selective destruction of deep target tumor target has been achieved; (2) Eradication of treated primary tumors and regression and disappearance of untreated distant metastases have been observed; (3) Long-term survival of tumor-bearing rats have been resulted; (4) Long-term immunity for resistance to repeated, dose-escalated subsequent tumor challenges has been induced; (5) Tumor-specific immunological responses, after laser immunotherapy treatment, have been detected at cellular and molecular levels. The procedure of laser immunotherapy and major results in animal studies will be summarized and some new results using the immunological enhancement for photodynamic therapy treatment will be presented.

In this paper, optical measurement techniques, which enable non-invasive measurement, are superimposed to glucose sensing in scattering media. Used measurement techniques are Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) and laser pulse Time-of-Flight (TOF) measurement using a streak camera. In parallel with measurements, a Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation models have been developed. Experimental in vitro measurements were performed using Intralipid fat emulsion as a tissue simulating phantom for OCT and TOF measurements. In PAS measurements, a pork meat was used as a subject but also preliminary in vivo measurements were done. OCT measurement results show that the slope of the OCT signal's envelope changes as a function of glucose content in the scattering media. TOF measurements show that the laser pulse full width of half maximum (FWHM) changes a little as function of glucose content. An agreement with MC-simulations and measurements with Intralipid was also found. Measurement results of PAS technique show that changes in glucose content in the pork meat tissue can be measured. In vivo measurements with a human volunteer show that other factors such as physiological change, blood circulation and body temperature drift may interfere the PA response of glucose.

Structure and properties of liquid water are investigated by means of molecular dynamics at temperature of 298 K. As a model of water molecule the SP3-model - flexible three-dot model with force centers on atoms is used. From the analysis of "life maps" of hydrogen bonds it is established, that lifetimes change from subpicoseconds up to tens picoseconds. The break of hydrogen bonds is not necessarily accompanied by change of the molecule-partner, and can be caused by switching. Statistical characteristics of hydrogen bonds and value of self-diffusion coefficient of water are obtained. The results agree with experimental data and the conclusions drawn in the works employing alternative models of the water molecule.

To evaluate the potential of reflectance confocal scanning laser microscopy (CM) for rapid imaging of non-processed freshly excised human bladder biopsies and cystectomy specimens. Freshly excised bladder tumors from three cystectomy specimens and random biopsies from twenty patients with a history of superficial bladder tumors were imaged with CM. Additional acetic acid washing prior to CM imaging was performed in some of the samples. Confocal images were compared to corresponding routine histologic sections. CM allows imaging of unprocessed bladder tissue at a subcellular resolution. Urothelial cell layers, collagen, vessels and muscle fibers can be rapidly visualized, in native state. In this regard, umbrella cells, basement membrane elucidated. Besides obvious limitations partly due to non-use of exogenous dyes, CM imaging offers several advantages: rapid imaging of the tissue in its native state like the basement membrane, normally seen only by using immunohistopathology. Reflectance CM opens a new avenue for imaging bladder cancer.

The paper is devoted to the problems of design of reconstruction algorithms for optical diffuse tomography (ODT). To reconstruct tissue optical inhomogeneities, a new method based on a concept of an average statistical trajectory for transfer of light energy (photon average trajectory, PAT) is proposed. Several analogies of curvilinear PAT in strongly scattering media with the usual optics rays are presented. It is shown that the PAT method is convenient for the time-domain optical diffuse tomography as well as for the frequency-domain one. The use of the trajectory approach opens promising opportunities for the increasing of the spatial resolution using methods designed in the convenient optics.

The possibility of improving the spatial resolution of diffuse optical images reconstructed by the photon average trajectories (PAT) method is substantiated. The PAT method recently presented by us is based on a concept of an average statistical trajectory for transfer of light energy, the photon average trajectory (PAT). The inverse problem of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is reduced to solution of integral equation with integration along a conditional PAT. As a result the conventional algorithms of projection computed tomography can be used for fast reconstruction of diffuse optical images. In our recent works we have shown that the application of the backprojection algorithms with special filtration of shadows allows a 20%-gain in spatial resolution to be obtained. But the shortcoming of the backprojection algorithm is that they can not reconstruct accurately the object regions located close to the boundary. In the present paper we consider alternative approach to improve the spatial reconstruction, which may be applied to images reconstructed with the use of algebraic techniques. It is based on post-reconstruction restoration of images blurred due to averaging over spatial distributions of photons, which form the signal measured by the receiver. We suggest a spatially invariant blurring model to restore local regions of a diffuse image with the use of standard deconvolution algorithms. Two iterative non-linear algorithms: the maximum-likelihood algorithm and the Lucy-Richardson algorithm are considered. It is shown that both of them allow the spatial resolution to be improved. The effect of the improvement is identical to that obtained with the use of the backprojection algorithms.

There are summarized the data of author's investigations which demonstrate in the first time a native fluorescence of specimens of all classes of steroid hormones. Fluorescence spectra are described. The relative quantum yields of fluorescence are measured. The dependence of fluorescence intensity and spectral characteristics on the presence and the position of side functional groups and double bonds in hormone molecule are ascertained.

Assessment of the carboxyhemoglobin photodissociation has been performed under the native conditions. This investigation has a great importance for the development and creation of completely new approach for the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning based on the photoinduced dissociation of carboxyhemoglobin. Photodissociation was registered on the experimental setup with crossing laser beams were pulsed Nd:YAG laser at the second harmonics wavelength (λ=532 nm) was used as a source of photolyzing radiation. Buffered solutions of whole human peripheral blood (PBS, pH=7.4) and diluted hemolized human peripheral blood were used. We found optimal parameters for the registration of the photodissociation such as using of buffered solutions of the whole human peripheral blood with the concentration of carboxyhemoglobin around 50% detection of dissociation of carboxyhemoglobin at the maximum of absorption within the Soret's band (435 nm). Dependence of photodissociation efficiency on the concentration of the complex in the tested solutions, as well as on the photolysis radiation intensity in both types of solutions was proved.

The goal of the present paper is to find a connection between time-point of fat tissue removal out of a human organism, rotation angle of polarization plane and optical transmission as well. The authors determined experimentally that in vitro fat tissue rotates polarization plane of linearly polarized light at temperature of 24 °C. At that as left- and right-rotation of polarization plane is observed. Value of rotation angle rises proportionally in time of in vitro specimen keeping up. The authors defined a connection of this phenomenon to features of polymorphous structure of a fat tissue.

Clinical studies using OCT involved 2000 patients in various fields of medicine such as gastroenterology, urology, laryngology, gynecology, dermatology, stomatology, etc. Layered high-contrast images were typical for benign epithelial conditions. OCT distinguish in mucosae: epithelium, connective tissue layer, and smooth-muscle layer. Various benign processes occurring in mucosa manifest in OCT images as changes in the epithelial height, scattering properties and the course of the basement membrane. Lack of the layered structural pattern is the main criterion for dysplastic / malignant images. In clinic: OCT data may be critical for choosing a tissue site for excisional biopsy, OCT can detect tumor borders and their linear dimensions, OCT can be used to plan a resection line in operations and to control adequacy of resection, to monitor whether reparative processes are timely and adequate. OCT sensitivity of the uterine cervix, urinary bladder and larynx is 82, 98, 77%, respectively, specificity - 78, 71, 96%, diagnostic accuracy - 81, 85, 87% with significantly good agreement index of clinicians kappa - 0.65, 0.79, 0.83 (confidence intervals: 0.57-0.73; 0.71-0.88; 0.74-0.91). Error in detection of high grade dysplasia and microinvasive cancer is 21.4% in average. Additional modification of OCT (cross-polarisation OCT, OCM), development of the procedure (biotissue compression, application of chemical agents) can improve the specificity and sensitivity of traditional modality.

This study compares ear photoplethysmography (PPG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) in providing accurate heart beat intervals for use in calculations of heart rate variability (HRV, from ECG) or of pulse rate variability (PRV, from PPG) respectively. Simultaneous measurements were taken from 44 healthy subjects at rest during spontaneous breathing and during forced metronomic breathing (6/min). Under both conditions, highly significant (p > 0.001) correlations (1.0 > r > 0.97) were found between all evaluated common HRV and PRV parameters. However, under both conditions the PRV parameters were higher than HRV. In addition, we calculated the limits of agreement according to Bland and Altman between both techniques and found good agreement (< 10% difference) for heart rate and standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), but only moderate (10-20%) or even insufficient (> 20%) agreement for other standard HRV and PRV parameters. Thus, PRV data seem to be acceptable for screening purposes but, at least at this state of knowledge, not for medical decision making. However, further studies are needed before more certain determination can be made.

A physical model describing the propagation of low frequency surface waves in relation to the viscoelastic behavior of porcine skin is presented along with a series of empirical studies testing the performance of the model. The model assumes that the skin behaves as a semi-infinite, locally isotropic, viscoelastic half-space. While the assumption of a semi-infinite body is violated, this violation does not appear to have a significant impact on the performance of the model based upon the empirical studies. One Hertz surface waves in the skin propagate primarily as Rayleigh waves with a wavelength and velocity of approximately 3 m and 3.0 m/s, respectively. The amplitude of the acoustic wave as measured by tracking the acoustic stress wave - induced shift in a backscattered laser speckle pattern, decreased exponentially with lateral distance from the acoustic source. Using this model of surface wave propagation, the mechanical loss factor or tan δ of the skin was measured to be on the order of 0.14±0.07. The results presented herein are consistent with earlier works on the propagation of low frequency acoustic waves in biological tissues and should serve as a theoretical and empirical basis for using the wave characteristics of propagating surface waves in combination with the mechanical behavior of the tissue for biomechanical studies and for potential diagnostic applications.

Human tooth structure in the oral environment is subjected to mechanical forces and thermal fluctuations. Dentine, the major component of the tooth structure, is a bio-composite, mainly composed of a highly mineralized phase and a collagenous phase. When subjected to changes in load and/or temperature, dentine will experience stresses and strains distribution within their structure. Though such effects are found to cause deleterious effects on artificial dental restorations, biological structures such as dentine seem to posses an inherent ability to adapt to functional thermo-mechanical loads. Optical techniques enable visualization and quantification of deformation, strain and stress on dental structures and provide a better understanding on their thermo-mechanical response. In this study 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional digital photoelasticity, digital moiré interferometry and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) are all shown to be quite promising in this application. This paper will highlight these techniques and the corresponding applications. These experiments will aid in designing and development of better dental restorations and implants in clinical practice.

We have developed a high sensitivity near-infrared (NIR) optical imaging system for non-invasive cancer detection through molecular labeled fluorescent contrast agents. Near-infrared (NIR) imaging can probe tissue deeply thus possess the potential for non-invasively detection of breast or lymph node cancer. Recent developments in molecular beacons can selectively label various pre-cancer/cancer signatures and provide high tumor to background contrast. To increase the sensitivity in detecting fluorescent photons and the accuracy of localization, phase cancellation (in- and anti-phase) device is employed. This frequency-domain system utilizes the interference-like pattern of diffuse photon density wave to achieve high detection sensitivity and localization accuracy for the fluorescent heterogeneity embedded inside the scattering media. The opto-electronic system consists of the laser sources, fiber optics, interference filter to select the fluorescent photons and the high sensitivity photon detector (photomultiplier tube). The source-detector pair scans the tissue surface in multiple directions and the two-dimensional localization image can be obtained using goniometric reconstruction. In vivo measurements with tumor-bearing mouse model using the novel Cypate-mono-2-deoxy-glucose (Cypate-2-D-Glucosamide) fluorescent contrast agent, which targets the enhanced tumor glycolysis, demonstrated the feasibility on detection of 2 cm deep subsurface tumor in the tissue-like medium, with a localization accuracy within 2 ~ 3 mm. This instrument has the potential for tumor diagnosis and imaging, and the accuracy of the localization suggests that this system could help to guide the clinical fine-needle biopsy. This portable device would be complementary to X-ray mammogram and provide add-on information on early diagnosis and localization of early breast tumor.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive molecule that is synthesized by a variety of biological tissues. It plays a major role in the regulation of blood pressure, in nerve cell communication, in the destruction of pathogens, and it has been implicated in numerous other physiological process in ways yet to be elucidated. The need to understand how or when this molecule participates in a chemical pathway in vivo, has made it necessary to develop methods for its detection in biological matrices and fluids. In this lecture we review some of the optical methods that have gained acceptance in the biological community, the controversies that they have engendered, and some of the technical challenges that lie ahead for this area of research.

Biological cells can be considered as dielectric objects with a given refractive index distribution. Light scattering simulations provide us with an efficient tool for studying cell morphology as well as the nature of scattering and its sources. The analysis of this information is the basis for a better understanding and development of new optical methods for non-invasive biomedical diagnostics. Here we demonstrate the potential of Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method based software tools for the simulation of light scattering from single cells in situations where other approaches simply do not work or the approximations inherited in them begin to be questionable.

Port Wine ageing process is very important to produce the most appreciated and expensive wines from the class. The process takes decades to accomplish and involves particular techniques which are taken inside refrigerated cellars. Different wines pass through such process to produce 10 year, 20 year, 30 year and 40 year Ports. There are no documented data about color or turbidity evolution during the ageing process. We decided to verify the states of color and spectral turbidity of different aged Gold white port wine. The acquired results show a spectral evolution on transmition and scattered radiation along with color modification which are a close and direct consequence of adopted corrective measures. In measuring the four samples, we have used our spectronephelometer with optical fiber tips to illuminate sample and to acquire transmitted or scattered radiation. Transmition results were calibrated with a standard spectrophotometer at our laboratory, and scattered spectra were measured considering a system calibration with ISO12103 standard dust. We are aware that the four samples were harvested in different years, but the wine type is the same and the ageing process does not differ from one sample to another.

Scattering effect of the media can be seen as a pulse broadening and time delay of the pulse maximum relatively to the initial pulse. The purpose of this paper is to study the applicability of the time-of-flight measurement technique for glucose detection in 2% Intralipid solutions in vitro. Glucose samples with concentrations of 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 mg/dl are studied. Laser pulses with = 906 nm and FWHM λ = 30 ps are used in the experiments to investigate scattering properties of Intralipid . 1 - 5% suspensions are used to simulate scattering properties of different skin layers in the NIR spectrum region. Measurements are conducted with a slab cuvette, with 300-μm step index type fibers, and with 100-μm gradient index type fibers. Light propagation in the aqueous solutions is also studied by the Monte Carlo simulation. The simulations and the measurement results seem to correlate quite well for Intralipid suspensions. A clear correlation of pulse parameters as a function of Intralipid concentration was found. Slight changes of time delays of pulse maxima and the pulse broadening as a function of glucose concentration were revealed. Gradient index type fibers are found to be better choice for sensing glucose than the step index type fibers.

In this paper, we numerically simulated the signals of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) setup from skin and diluted blood (Hct = 5%) layers in order to reveal the possibilities of OCT application to different biological objects at different wavelengths (820 nm for blood and 633 nm for skin), in particular, in relation to the problems of optical clearing of tissues and increasing of penetration depth of the OCT systems. The chosen model parameters coincide with the parameters of a real OCT setup. The optical parameters of simulated biological media coincide with those published in literature. For a blood layer it was shown that the rare borders of a glass cuvette with diluted blood for in vitro investigations can be clearly detected for layer thicknesses up to 1 photon transport pathlength (around 2.3 mm). To calculate the OCT signals from skin two models were used. The simplest model considers skin as a two-layered medium with optical properties of epidermis and dermis. The other model considers skin as a five-layered structure (epidermis, dermis, dermis with plexus superficialis, dermis, dermis with plexus superficialis). Different values of model optical parameters of the layers were used to take into consideration possible deviations of these parameters in biotissues. Dependences of the signal fringe pattern amplitudes from interlayer borders on optical properties of the media were analysed.

Reduced ability of erythrocytes of hemorrhagic rats to change their shape under hydrodynamic stress in shear flow in vitro is explored with a laser diffractometry technique. It is shown that 1.5 hours after a stressful sonic influence on rats, the ability of their erythrocytes to deform, quantitatively characterized by the deformability index, decreases reaching the value of 11 ± 2% below the initial value measured before the sonic influence.

The digital transmission microscopy is very informative, noninvasive for vessels, simple and available method for studying and measuring lymph microvessels function in vivo. Rat mesentery can use as promising animal model of lymph microvessels in vivo. Such imaging system allowed visualizing the entire lymphangion (with input and output valves), its wall, lymphatic valves, lymph flow as well as single cells in flow; obtaining anew basic information on lymph microcirculation and quantitative data on lymphatic function including indexes of phasic contractions and valve function, the quantitative parameters of lymph-flow velocity. Rat mesentery is good model to create different types of lymphedemas in acute and chronic experiments. The obtained data revealed that significant edema started immediately after lymph node dissection in one-half of cases and was accompanied by lymphatic disturbances. The greatest degree of edema was found after 1 week. After 4 weeks, the degree of edema sometimes decreased, but functional lymphatic disturbances progressed. Nicotine had significant direct dose-dependent effect on microlymphatic function at the acute local application, but the same dose of this drug was not effect on microcirculation in chronic intoxication. Despite yielding interesting data, transmittance microscopy had some limitations when applied to microcirculation studies. The problems could be solved at the application of integrated measuring technique.

We present a simple and novel theoretical approach for modeling the intensity distribution from an arbitrarily shaped turbid volume in a non-contact geometry by considering diffuse light propagation in free-space. Optical tomography of turbid media has so far been limited by systems that require fixed geometries or fiber measurements. This novel theory is validated with experiments for a diffusive volume of known geometry in a non-contact situation, both with and without the presence of an embedded absorber. We also present a system that records non-contact optical measurements from diffuse media of arbitrary shapes and retrieves the three-dimensional surface information of the diffuse medium. This approach offers significant experimental simplicity and yields high-information content datasets. The performance of this novel tomographic approach is demonstrated with experimental reconstructions of phantoms. Finally, the implications of this new formulation in the context of optical tomography in turbid media are discussed.

Planar illumination techniques offer significant utility in probing optical contrast at tissue surfaces. For probing events deeper in tissue the development of more advanced imaging methods may be required to obtain quantitative and three-dimensional localization. In view of recent developments of novel biocompatible fluorescent probes for probing molecular function, optical imaging methods may be used towards non-invasive molecular imaging in-vivo with high specificity and localization accuracy. Underpinnings to these developments are the use of near infrared photons to allow deep penetration in tissues, highly sensitive photon detection technologies and appropriate theories and mathematical tools for tomographic reconstruction of optical signals. Herein we briefly outline key components of optical imaging in planar and tomographic mode as an investigation tool for carcinogenesis and focus on recent progress with optical tomography of tissues. Imaging potential and limitations for molecular and clinical imaging are also discussed.

Based on the collation of the stochastic Monte Carlo technique and the iteration procedure of the solution of Bethe-Salpeter equation, it is shown that simulation of optical path of photons undergoing n-th scattering event is directly agreed with the n-th order ladder diagram calculation approach. In frame of this correspondence the Monte Carlo technique is generalised for simulation of coherent back-scattering and temporal intensity/field auto-correlation functions of optical radiation scattered within the randomly inhomogeneous turbid medium. The results of simulation demonstrate a good agreement with the diffusing wave theory and experimental results.

We have developed a novel way to record in a non-contact way the magnetic field of the human heart. Our laser device is much less expensive than conventional, SQUID-based magnetometers and opens up new perspectives for medical diagnostics.

We present multipoint Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) experiments with a fully integrated Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) single photon 2x2 detector array. Multifocal excitation was achieved with a diffractive optical element (DOE). Special emphasis was put on parallelization of the total system. In particular the performance of the single-photon CMOS detector was investigated and compared to a state-of-the art single-photon detecting module (actively quenched avalanche photo diode) by measurements on free diffusing molecules at different concentrations. The potential of our new technique for high throughput FCS based systems is discussed.

In this paper, we have developed a Monte Carlo algorithm that simulates the wavelength dependent, elastic scattering spectroscopy of the polarization light in preinvasive cancer tissue. Using stokes vector formalism and scattering amplitudes calculated with Mie theory. The simulation results show the backscattering spectroscopy is sensitive to cellular and nuclear size.

The influence of low-intensity laser irradiation on backscattered radiation from the skin vascular plexus is investigated in vivo. Laser irradiation of the blood in the absorption range of haemoglobin leads to an increase in the intensity of the back-scattered emission. The calculated temperature gradients are sufficient to produce structural and conformational changes in the cellular proteins of the erythrocytes and/or to produce a change in the permeability of membrane and cause the disaggregating of the aggregates of erythrocytes. A theoretical calculation for the increase in the intensity of the back-scattered emission with the disaggregating of erythrocytes was performed.

Hemolytic effects of psoralen previously photooxidized (366 nm) in ethanol and aqueous solutions were investigated on human erythrocytes. Photooxidation of psoralen in ethanol or aqueous solutions gives a mixture of hemolysins, some of which spontaneously degrade during about 0.5 h of storage with a loss of hemolytic activity whilst others retain their activity during several days of storage. On exposure of psoralen to UVA irradiation in ethanol solutions, water-degradable hemolysins along with not degradable by water are produced. Reciprocity law of the fluence rate and time of irradiation is not fulfilled for the hemolysins production; they are more efficiently produced at high fluence rate of ultraviolet.

Frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy and imaging offer significant advantages over the continuous-wave method in human brain applications. However, the drawback of existing instruments is a low signal-to-noise ratio for measured phase and modulation depth changes caused by cerebral activation. In this paper we show that in the case of the geometry specific for the activated area in the human brain, the SNR can be significantly improved by increasing the modulation frequency. We present the results of a study performed experimentally using a sub-nanosecond pulsed light source and a spherical absorbing object immersed in a highly scattering solution. We show that changes caused by the absorbing inhomogeneity in both phase and modulation depth increase with frequency and reach maximum values at frequencies between 400 and 1400 MHz, depending on the particular source-detector distance. We also show that for the semi-infinite geometry an increase of the modulation frequency from 100 to 500 MHz can increase the phase signal-to-noise ratio 2-3 times, and the modulation depth SNR up to 10 times.

Effective treatment and management of diabetic disease require frequent or continuous monitoring of blood glucose concentration. Currently used methods for monitoring of the blood glucose are invasive and, therefore, are not suitable for the frequent measurements. In this paper we review our recent results on development of Optical Coherence Tomography technique for noninvasive monitoring of glucose concentration in skin.

Sensors designed for research of blood microcirculation in pharyngeal mucosa by a laser Doppler flowmetry, are described and considered in view of anatomic and physiological features of objects of research. Two designs of sensors for laser Doppler flowmetry are described - non-contact and contact. The results of and clinical testing at norm and different pathologies of pharynx of on calibration of sensors, and also their comparative technical characteristics and materials of clinical researches of microcirculation are resulted at norm and at a various pathology.

New scanning probe microscopy is developed. The microscope has versatile near-field optical microscopy measuring head, built-in controlling computer with network access, powerful embedded software for low-level controlling and convenient software installed on outside computer. Built-in computer and embedded software provide real-time operating of microscope while outside software allows connection, controlling, receiving and processing data from microscope.

Many diseases of a cornea (keratitis etc.) are connected with virus defeats of its superficial and deep layers that in turn can result in turbidity. Thus, diagnostics at an early stage of virus changes is extremely important. Hence the purpose of the given work can be defined as development of ellipsometry method of virus diseases diagnostics in multilayered scattering media such as eye cornea. In result the model of an eye cornea with and without a virus was constructed. Parameters of its each component were received. Ellipsometry dependences were analyzed for this model.

This paper contains the data about the state of blood microcirculation in oral cavity mucous membrane of the patients under the orthodontic treatment by removable plate orthodontic apparatus. Dependences of these indices on the duration of the treatment and on the type of plastic materials, which are used in orthodontic apparatus, are analyzed by cross-correlation speckle-microscopy.

In this paper different methods of processing of speckle pattern are compared. Two configuration of illumination perfusion by speckle-modulated coherent irradiation and Gaussian beam are analyzed. Optimal optical scheme of digital speckle-microscopy is found for monitoring of blood microcirculation.

Today the noninvasive (in vitro, in situ) and real-time methods of diagnostics are desirable for general clinical practice. One of such promising technique is the optical multi-wave diffusion and absorption spectrophotometry. It allows a doctor to measure a number of important medical and biological (M&B) parameters such as the blood microcirculation parameters into the soft tissues, contents of the hemoglobin fractions into the periphery blood, etc. The use of the new components of the microelectronics and optics and development of new approaches to the diagnostic data processing makes it possible to design a number of small and effective devices for this purpose. The basic principle of work of them in means of hardware function is the multi-wave light scanning of the tested tissue’s area and detecting a backscattered light. In means of software function the basic principle of work of them is the inverse optical task solution when the optical and corresponding M&B parameters of the tested medium are calculated from the measured backscattered spectral optical data. This report presents one of such designed portable apparatus “Spectrotest” developed in cooperation with Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute of “MONIKI”. This device allows a doctor to register the index of melanin pigmentation of the skin, the volume of the blood in the tested tissue and the average hemoglobin saturation of the peripheral blood. All this parameters are available for a doctor to see them on the monitor screen in real-time mode directly during any diagnostic or treatment procedure. For that a new modified light scattering theory with the analytical solution of the main equations has been developed. Analytical solution allows the software to calculate and indicate the measured M&B parameters on the computer’s monitor screen during less than one second. Today the developed diagnostic system “Spectrotest” is used in real clinical practice in “MONIKI” and in the Oncology Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Science for the medical research aims. The general hardware and software composites of this diagnostic apparatus and examples of the application of it for the functional diagnostic tests are presented in this report as well.

The main mechanism of penetration of the indocyanine green dye (ICG) (1) in upper human skin layers was determined for ICG water, ethanol and glycerol solutions. Some experiments with/without clearance of protection skin fat coat were carried out. We stained hand skin then we did several series of epidermis detachments by scotch. The spectra of stained skin were recorded by standard CARY-2415 spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere. The conclusion about the main mechanism of penetration of the ICG in human epidermis has been drown by analyze of the experiment results.

It is offered to use a method of depolarize spectroscopy under investigation of spectral dependences of samples containing a low-concentrated absorbing substance localized on the scattering centers. Experimental data confirm, that the method of depolarization spectroscopy, for samples of this type, is more effective than standard methods of registration.

The possibility of immersion clearing of human blood in visible and NIR spectral range has been discussed. Based on presented model the spectral behavior of scattering and absorption characteristics of blood caused by immersion properties of glucose solution has been analyzed. The influence of osmotic properties of glucose solution on blood erythrocytes has been shown.

Processes of energy decontamination of electron-excited luminescent probes are studied in this work. It is known that addition of surfactants results in lifetime reduction and phosphorescence intensity of eosin molecules in water solution of human serum albumin. The findings testify to surfactants influence on protein structure.

The role of different intercellular signaling pathways involving adenylate cyclase (AC), receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), tyrosine and serine/threonine protein phosphatases (PTP or PP, respectively) in the response of crayfish mechanoreceptor neuron (MRN) and surrounding glial cells to photodynamic effect of aluminum phthalocyanine Photosens have been studied. AC inhibition by MDL-12330A decreased neuron lifetime, whereas AC activation by forskolin increase it. Thus, increase in cAMP produced by activated AC protects SRN against photodynamic inactivation. Similarly, RTK inhibition by genistein decreased neuron lifetime, while inhibition of PTP or PP that remove phosphate groups from proteins, prolonged neuronal activity. AC inhibition reduced photoinduced damage of the plasma membrane, and, therefore, necrosis in neuronal and glial cells. RTK inhibition protected only neurons against PDT-induced membrane permeabilization while glial cells became lesser permeable under ortovanadate-mediated PTP inhibition. AC activation also prevented PDT-induced apoptosis in glial cells. PP inhibition enhanced apoptotic processes in photosensitized glial cells. Therefore, both intercellular signaling pathways involving AC and TRK are involved in the maintenance of neuronal activity, integrity of the neuronal and glial plasma membranes and in apoptotic processes in glia under photosensitization.

Using flow cytometry (FCM) the influence of exogenous serotonin on culture growth, DNA content and fluorescence intensity of cells binding FITC-labelled plague polyclonal immunoglobulins was studied in Yersinia pestis EV (pFra⁺, pCad⁺, pPst⁺), Yersinia pestis KM218 (pFra^-, pCad^-, pPst^-), Yersinia pestis KM 216 (pFra^-, pCad^-, pPst⁺). The results have been obtained by FCM showed serotonin accelerated Yersinia pestis EV (pFra⁺, pCad⁺, pPst⁺), Yersinia pestis KM218 (pFra^-, pCad^-, pPst^-) culture growth during cultivation in Hottinger broth pH 7.2 at 28°C at concentration of 10^-5 M. The presence of 10^-5 M serotonin in nutrient broth could modulate DNA content in 37°C growing population of plague microbe independently of their plasmid content. Serotonin have been an impact on the distribution pattern of the cells according to their phenotypical characteristics, which was reflected in the levels of population heterogeneity in the intensity of specific immunofluorescence determined by FMC.

Spectrophotometric and fluorescence methods have been used for creation and investigation of various systems of target delivery of chemical compounds to roots of plants. The possibility of using liposomes, incrusted by polysaccharides of the external surface of nitrogen-fixing rizospheric bacteria Azospirillum brasilense SP 245, and nanoparticles incrusted by polysaccharides of wheat roots, as the named systems has been shown. The important role of polysaccharide-polysaccharide interaction in the adsorption processes of bacteria on wheat roots has been demonstrated.

Photometric and fluorescence methods have been used for investigation of the drug 1-(2'hydroxiethil)-2-methil-5nitroimidazole (metronidazolum) action on the stability of erythrocytes and liposomes and on the protein folding. Metronidazolum was shown to protectively act on the cell membranes. Besides the compound was able to decrease the folding rate of the protein catalase. The molecular mechanism of the compound effect on the cell membranes and proteins was supposed to be modification of the hydrogen bonds net of the surface water. The last was proved by the results of molecular dynamics computation of parameters of hydrogen bonds net and clusters of water molecules in metronidazolum solution and in the solutions of inactive compounds.

The method of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), excited by UV laser radiation, is widely used in investigating biological tissues. But the radiation itself may cause some changes in the tissue irradiated. The results of our experiments have shown that exposure to the UV-radiation leads to some changes of LIF spectrum of a cross-striated muscle, myocardium, aorta. In particular, a noticeable attenuation of intensity of tryptophan fluorescence band (330 nm ) takes place. The intensity is shown to depend on the number of pulses. At lower energy of the exciting radiation the intensity falls off more slowly. Quantitative information is obtained on the tryptophan inactivation cross section. The conclusion on commensuration of the inactivation cross sections of tryptophan and cystine within 248 nm wavelength is proved. The influence of radiation on lymphocytes viability was investigated. Nonetheless, although some changes take place in the tissues exposed to laser radiation, they have not time to exceed the magnitude of random scatter for the period needed in our experiments for the LIF spectra recording (around 30 pulses), so these changes do not influence the final result.

In this work was studied the influence of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) generating semiconductor devices in red (650 nm) and infrared (850 nm) ranges of wavelength, in condition in vitro and in vivo on phagocytosis activity and synthesis by peritoneal macrophages endogenic proinflammatory cytokins at phagocytosis bacterial cells. In the power of phagocytosis stage was used the culture of clinical strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. The variation of dose rendering influence accomplished with the help of variation power and an exposition of irradiation. Receiving results are evidence of stimulating activity infrared LLLI on phagocytosis activity of macrophages. We revealed the intensification of adhesion bacteria by macrophages, the intensification of bacteria's killing, and increase of production proinflammatory cytokins. Moreover we described effective revealed dose-dependent character. Influence of rays a red region of spectrum on phagocytosis macrophages caused some reduction of their activity increasing radiation dose was marked the destruction of the most macrophages.

The results presented testify to the high clinical effectiveness of therapy of adenoid disease based on photodynamic effects caused by combined action of physical (red light) and chemical factors (methylene blue) on pathogenic microorganisms. Original physiotherapy device and autonomous photostimulator of “Duny” Inc. were used. Clinical results have a good correlation with results of bacteriological and cell research conducted in vivo and in vitro.