Measuring easily electron plasma densities in gases produced by ultrashort lasers and filaments.

We present an easy way to calibrate the simple plasma conductivity (PCo) technique for measuring electron plasma densities in gases. We show that calibration can be achieved using a single absolute plasma density measurement through an independent analytical technique, in our case the in-line holographic microscopy (i-HOM). We show the validity and power of the method by comparing the calibrated PCo with results from i-HOM over an extended range of experimental parameters.

Efficient third-harmonic generation through tailored IR femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in air.

The process of third-harmonic generation during the filamentation of intense IR femtosecond laser pulses in air is investigated experimentally. It is shown that the introduction of a thin plasma string created by another femtosecond pulse, perpendicularly to the filament's path, dramatically reshapes the third-harmonic beam into a Bessel-like far-field distribution, while at the same time significantly enhances, up to 250 times, its conversion efficiency.

Optical spatial solitons at the interface between two dissimilar periodic media: theory and experiment.

Discrete spatial solitons traveling along the interface between two dissimilar one-dimensional arrays of waveguides were observed for the first time. Two interface solitons were found theoretically, each one with a peak in a different boundary channel. One evolves into a soliton from a linear mode at an array separation larger than a critical separation where-as the second soliton always exhibits a power threshold. These solitons exhibited different power thresholds which depended on the characteristics of the two lattices. For excitation of single channels near and at the boundary, the evolution behavior with propagation distance indicates that the solitons peaked near and at the interface experience an attractive potential on one side of the boundary, and a repulsive one on the opposite side. The power dependence of the solitons at variable distance from the boundary was found to be quite different on opposite sides of the interface and showed evidence for soliton switching between channels with increasing input power.

Power thresholds of families of discrete surface solitons.

We have investigated both theoretically and experimentally the power threshold of discrete Kerr surface solitons at the interface between a discrete one-dimensional (1D) (waveguide array) and a continuous 1D (slab waveguide) AlGaAs medium. Decreasing power thresholds were predicted and measured for soliton trapping at sites with increasing distance from the boundary. The thresholds approached asymptotically the power required for a discrete soliton of equivalent width in an infinite lattice. The minimum threshold coincided with a minimum in the interchannel coupling strength.

Optical modes at the interface between two dissimilar discrete meta-materials.

We have studied theoretically and experimentally the properties of optical surface modes at the hetero-interface between two meta-materials. These meta-materials consisted of two 1D AlGaAs waveguide arrays with different band structures.

Observation of discrete surface solitons.

We report the first observation of discrete optical surface solitons at the interface between a nonlinear self-focusing waveguide lattice and a continuous medium. The effect of power on the localization process of these optical self-trapped states at the edge of an AlGaAs waveguide array is investigated in detail. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.

All-optical switching and multifrequency generation in a dual-core photonic crystal fiber.

We demonstrate all-optical switching at 1550 nm between two weakly coupled cores in a photonic crystal fiber for intensities up to 0.5 TW/cm2. Spectrum analysis at higher intensities reveals that the output was dominated by continuum generation primarily towards shorter wavelengths.

[The level of the eosinophils in the blood, serum immunoglobulins and circulating immune complexes and interferon production in patients with unilocular echinococcosis depending on the location of the cysts]. / Soderzhanie éozinofilov v krovi, syvorotochnykh immunoglobulinov, tsirkuliruiushchikh immunnykh kompleksov i produktsiia interferonov u bol'nykh odnokamernym ékhinokokkozom v zavisimosti ot lokalizatsii kist.

The correlations between blood eosinophils, serum immunoglobulins (Ig), circulating immune complexes (CIC) content, alpha- and gamma-interferon (IFN) production and HLA class I antigens were analyzed in 33 patients with hydatid disease aged 37.5 +/- 1.5 years. Direct correlation between the activity of gamma-IFN production, blood eosinophils, IgG and specific IgE content was found in patients with multiple pulmonary damage. In this group the high level of CIC correlated with the high content of IgG and specific IgE. In patients with solitary and multiple cysts in the liver in spite of high alpha- and gamma-IFN production the levels of total and specific IgE were low, IgG and CIC contents were moderate and eosinophils percent was low. In patients with combined damage of the liver and multiple cysts in the abdominal cavity high CIC production correlated directly with high total IgE content. In the total group of patients percent of HLA B5 carriers was significantly higher than in controls: 36.6 and 14.7 respectively (R = 0.01 after Fischer) that correlated with comparatively active gamma-IFN production in patients with the pulmonary and the liver cysts. The possible explanation of the different immune response in patients with the different localisation of the parasite cysts are discussed.

[The use of leukinferon in treating zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. 2. Patient treatment]. / Primenenie leikinferona v lechenii zoonoznogo kozhnogo leishmanioza. 2. Lechenie bol'nykh.

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis was treated by a combination of monomycin and an immunotherapeutic agent, leukinferon, representing a complex of cytokines of the first phase of in vitro immune response of human leukocytes with the predominance of the activities of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, macrophage- and leukocyte-inhibiting factors, and alpha-interferon. A total of 182 patients were treated in endemic foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Uzbekistan, 115 patients were followed up. Ointment applications (1000 U) or i.m. injections of leukinferon every 3-4 days were used in the treatment of 50 patients. Monomycin was administered only locally--as an ointment or collagen sponge ("leishmacol"). The best results were attained with combined therapy including i.m. leukinferon and local monomycin. The treatment duration was 3 weeks in grave complicated cases and 2 weeks in cases with a benign course of the disease. Local therapy with any of the drugs alone or combined was less effective, and lasted for about 1.5 months. The combined method is convenient for outpatient therapy, for it helps do without numerous daily injections that are necessary in parenteral monomycin therapy. Another advantage of combined therapy of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is an essential reduction of the total dose of monomycin, a highly toxic drug.

[Interferon status and the HLA antigen system. 1. Unilocular echinococcosis]. / Interferonovyi status i antigeny sistemy HLA. 1. Odnokamernyi ékhinokokkoz.

In 26 patients with hydatid disease interferons (IFN) blood levels by titration method and HLA-antigens by lymphocyte cytotoxicity microtest were estimated. In total group B5 antigen frequency was significantly (p = 0.007 after Fischer) higher than in the control group of 155 practically healthy persons: 38.5% and 14.7% respectively. The determination of possible correlation between IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma production, HLA-antigens specificity and the localisation of Echinococcus granulosus cysts showed that in hydatid disease A2 and B5 antigens carriers are significantly stronger producers of the cytokines as compared with patients having A3 and B13 antigens. The highest titers of IFN-alpha was found in A2 antigen carriers with the liver cysts, the highest level of IFN-gamma had B5 antigen carriers with the lung damage. A3 and B13 antigens carriers had low IFN titers independently of the character of damaged organ. Relatively high IFN-gamma blood titers in B5 antigen carriers with the lung cysts, persons predisposed to hydatid disease, permit supposing the stimulation of the cytokine production by the parasite for cysts formation in the lungs.

[The interferon status in helminthiases. 3. Opisthorchiasis]. / Interferonovyi status pri gel'mintozakh. 3. Opistorkhoz.

In 23 patients with Opisthorchis felineus infection, 4 in subacute and 19 in chronic stages of the disease (7 subclinical, 8 with cholepathy and 4 with gastroduodenitis) the blood levels of alpha-interferon (IF-alpha) and IF-gamma were measured using vesical stomatitis virus culture. In patients with subacute opisthorchiasis the blood contents of IF-alpha and IF-gamma were the same as in control-30 practically healthy people (640-1280, log2 9.73 +/- 0.19, and 128-256, log2 7.75 +/- 0.25 against 640-1280, log2 10.04 +/- 0.12 and 128-256, log2 7.47 +/- 0.13 respectively). In patients with chronic opisthorchiasis the levels of IF-alpha and IF-gamma were lower than in control (320-640, log2 8.68 +/- 0.28 and 32-128, log2 6.0 +/- 0.58, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.01 respectively). Among the ones with the subclinical course of the infection the content of IF-alpha was lower than in control (320-1280, log2 9.31 +/- 0.27, p less than 0.05). Patients with cholepathy had lower levels of IF-alpha and IF-gamma than those with subclinical course of the infection (160-640, log2 8.55 +/- 0.24 and 16-64, log2 5.0 +/- 0.26, p less than 0.01, p less than 0.01 respectively). That seemed to be a sign of immunodepression in the chronic stage of the disease some way more prominent in cases with cholepathy. Immediately after praziquantel therapy interferon levels remained unchanged.

[The interferon status in helminthiases. 2. Alveolar hydatid disease]. / Interferonovyi status pri gel'mintozakh. Soobshchenie 2. Mnogokamernyi ékhinokokkoz.

In 11 patients with Echinococcus multilocularis infection the blood levels of alpha-interferon (alpha-IF) and gamma-interferon (gamma-IF) were measured using vesical stomatitis virus culture. In patients with the disease the contents of alpha- and gamma-IF were significantly (p less than 0.01) lower than in healthy controls: 392 +/- 101.6 and 101.6 +/- 20.9 U/ml and 1024 +/- 83.2 and 187 +/- 16.9 U/ml, respectively. The lower levels of alpha- and gamma-IF were found in patients with multiorgan damages including the lungs, as compared with the liver and abdomen infestation: alpha-IF 160 +/- 56.6, gamma-IF 88 +/- 24.0 and 525.7 +/- 124.3 and 109 +/- 18.3 (p less than 0.01), respectively. The similar data have been found in patients with hydatid disease (S. N. Suntsov et al., 1990). After 5 to 6 courses of mebendazole therapy in a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight dai y for 30 days with 30-day intervals there was a tendency to a slight elevation of cytokines levels (S. N. Suntsov et al., 1990), as seen in hydatid disease. The estimation of IF levels in multilocular echinococcosis infection may be of prognostic value and perhaps for the evaluation of the efficacy of surgical and chemotherapeutic treatment.

[The interferon status in helminthiases. 1. Human unilocular hydatid disease]. / Interferonovyi status pri gel'mintozakh. Soobshchenie 1. Ekhinokokkoz odnokamernyi cheloveka.

In 51 patients with Echinococcus granulosus infection, blood IF alpha and IF gamma levels were measured using vesicular stomatitis virus culture. In patients with progressing disease, the IF alpha and IF gamma levels were significantly lower than in the benign form of the disease--144 +/- 28.8 and 51.6 +/- 10.1 U/ml, respectively (in healthy controls the levels were 1024 +/- 28.8 and 187.7 +/- 16.9 U/ml). The lowest levels of IF alpha and IF gamma were found in patients with primary localization of cysts in the lungs and multiorgan damages affecting the lungs--160 +/- 38.5 and 44.4 +/- 13.5 U/ml; 146.7 +/- 80.1 and 89.5 +/- 19.2 U/ml, respectively. After 5-6 thirty-day courses of mebendazole therapy (50 mg/kg body weight) at 30-day intervals, the average levels of IF alpha and IF gamma were 4 and 5 times higher. Measurement of IF levels in echinococcosis may be of prognostic value for the estimation of the efficacy of surgical and/or specific treatment.