Fluorine-based color centers in diamond.

We report on the creation and characterization of the luminescence properties of high-purity diamond substrates upon F ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing. Their room-temperature photoluminescence emission consists of a weak emission line at 558 nm and of intense bands in the 600-750 nm spectral range. Characterization at liquid He temperature reveals the presence of a structured set of lines in the 600-670 nm spectral range. We discuss the dependence of the emission properties of F-related optical centers on different experimental parameters such as the operating temperature and the excitation wavelength. The correlation of the emission intensity with F implantation fluence, and the exclusive observation of the afore-mentioned spectral features in F-implanted and annealed samples provides a strong indication that the observed emission features are related to a stable F-containing defective complex in the diamond lattice.

Nanodiamonds-induced effects on neuronal firing of mouse hippocampal microcircuits.

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FND) are carbon-based nanomaterials that can efficiently incorporate optically active photoluminescent centers such as the nitrogen-vacancy complex, thus making them promising candidates as optical biolabels and drug-delivery agents. FNDs exhibit bright fluorescence without photobleaching combined with high uptake rate and low cytotoxicity. Focusing on FNDs interference with neuronal function, here we examined their effect on cultured hippocampal neurons, monitoring the whole network development as well as the electrophysiological properties of single neurons. We observed that FNDs drastically decreased the frequency of inhibitory (from 1.81 Hz to 0.86 Hz) and excitatory (from 1.61 to 0.68 Hz) miniature postsynaptic currents, and consistently reduced action potential (AP) firing frequency (by 36%), as measured by microelectrode arrays. On the contrary, bursts synchronization was preserved, as well as the amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory and excitatory events. Current-clamp recordings revealed that the ratio of neurons responding with AP trains of high-frequency (fast-spiking) versus neurons responding with trains of low-frequency (slow-spiking) was unaltered, suggesting that FNDs exerted a comparable action on neuronal subpopulations. At the single cell level, rapid onset of the somatic AP ("kink") was drastically reduced in FND-treated neurons, suggesting a reduced contribution of axonal and dendritic components while preserving neuronal excitability.

[The quality of research publications in psychiatry]. / Kachestvo issledovatel'skikh publikatsii v psikhiatrii.

AIM: To evaluate the quality of research articles in psychiatry and addiction medicine published in 2015. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five experts analyzed 51 research publications from 13 psychiatric and addiction medicine journals using a standardized questionnaire, which contains 4 general questions (type or results of the study) and 21 questions on the quality of the study. RESULTS: Only 2 articles (4%) met all criteria, 64% of the articles refer to the methodologically least demonstrative (uncontrolled/one-time, series of cases, non-randomized). The most vulnerable were the characteristics which were the most important for evidence: a description of the methods, statistical analysis, accounting for systematic errors and/or side effects, the distribution of patients by group. CONCLUSION: Research publications in psychiatry and addiction medicine have a low level of evidence.

[Zero citation of Russian institute publications on the psychiatry and addiction]. / Nulevoe tsitirovanie publikatsii rossiiskikh institutov v oblasti psikhiatrii i narkologii.

AIM: To evaluate the zero-citation sizes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on the data of the Russian Science Citation Index the publication activity of four leading institutes in the field of Psychiatry and Addiction is analyzed. The same indices in the field of Neurology were used as a control. Number and percentage of publications with ≥1 citations and zero-citation were analyzed. RESULTS: It has been shown that in psychiatric science zero citation rate is quite high (from 32.8% to 47.2%, an average of 42.9%). It is higher compared to the control. CONCLUSION: Zero-citation indicator is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of scientific institutions.

Beating the Abbe diffraction limit in confocal microscopy via nonclassical photon statistics.

We experimentally demonstrate quantum enhanced resolution in confocal fluorescence microscopy exploiting the nonclassical photon statistics of single nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond. By developing a general model of superresolution based on the direct sampling of the kth-order autocorrelation function of the photoluminescence signal, we show the possibility to resolve, in principle, arbitrarily close emitting centers.

Statistical estimation of the efficiency of quantum state tomography protocols.

A novel operational method for estimating the efficiency of quantum state tomography protocols is suggested. It is based on a priori estimation of the quality of an arbitrary protocol by means of universal asymptotic fidelity distribution and condition number, which takes minimal value for better protocol. We prove the adequacy of the method both with numerical modeling and through the experimental realization of several practically important protocols of quantum state tomography.

Anisotropically and high entanglement of biphoton states generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion.

We show both theoretically and experimentally that biphoton wave packets generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion can be strongly anisotropic and highly entangled. The conditions under which these effects exist are found and discussed.

Realization of four-level qudits using biphotons.

The novel experimental realization of four-level optical quantum systems (ququarts) is presented. We exploit the polarization properties of the frequency nondegenerate biphoton field to obtain such systems. A simple method that does not rely on am interferometer is used to generate and measure the sequence of states that can be used in quantum key distribution protocol.

[Predictive role of exercise tests in development of restenosis in patients after coronary stent implantation].

Bicycle exercise tests were carried out in 2 weeks -- 9 months after successful stent implantation in 1463 patients. Result of exercise test was positive in 472 and negative -- in 991 patients. At control angiography which was performed within 1 week after exercise test binary in-stent restenosis >50% was found in 326 of 1463 patients. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive value of positive and negative results of exercise test for the presence of restenosis were 85, 83, 59 and 5%, respectively.

[Achievements of invasive cardiology 2003. Part I.]. / Dostizheniia invazivnoi kardiologii. 2003 g. Chast' I.

The authors present a review of research works completed or conducted in 2003 which according to their opinion contributed most to the rapidly progressing field of invasive/interventional cardiology. The year passed was characterized by wide introduction into clinical practice of stents coated with antirestenotic agents, substantial advances in pharmacological support and improvements of safety of coronary interventions, active studies of contrast induced nephropathy and assessment of novel devices for myocardial protection against distal embolism during interventions both on coronary arteries and vein grafts. Recent results of comparisons of mechanical and pharmacological myocardial reperfusion in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction can be considered revolutionary for clinical cardiology. Part I of the review deals with invasive treatment of acute coronary syndrome and pharmacological support of coronary interventions.

[Achievements of Invasive Cardiology 2003. Part II.]. / Dostizheniia invazivnoi kardiologii. 2003 g. Chast' II.

The authors present a review of research works completed or conducted in 2003 which according to their opinion contributed most to the rapidly progressing field of invasive/interventional cardiology. The year passed was characterized by wide introduction into clinical practice of stents coated with antirestenotic agents, substantial advances in pharmacological support and improvements of safety of coronary interventions, active studies of contrast induced nephropathy and assessment of novel devices for myocardial protection against distal embolism during interventions both on coronary arteries and vein grafts. Recent results of comparisons of mechanical and pharmacological myocardial reperfusion in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction can be considered revolutionary for clinical cardiology. Part I of the review deals with invasive treatment of acute coronary syndrome and pharmacological support of coronary interventions.

[Results and prospects of development of neuropharmacology in the department of pharmacology of the Acad. S. V. Anichkov Research Institute of Experimental Medicine, USSR Academy of Medical Sciences]. / Itogi i perspektivy razvitiia neirofarmakologii v otdele farmakologii im. akad. AMN SSSR S. B. Anichkova NII éksperimental'noi meditsiny AMN SSSR.

Basic strategic and tactical principles of neuropharmacological studies are outlined, whose aim is to find and explore new synthetic neuro-blocking agents and substances simulating the structure of natural metabolites. The basic research has resulted in the development of new highly effective drugs and experimentally substantiated recommendations for their clinical application. The conceptions of the action mechanism of adrenergic and cholinergic agents, stimulants of tissue energy exchange, which have been formulated in the department, suggested new approaches to the pharmacological treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neurogenic diseases of the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems.

[Effect of a diet with an increased protein content on reparative processes in experimental ulcerous lesions of the gastric and duodenal mucosa]. / Vliianie diety s povyshennym soderzhaniem belka na reparativnye protsessy pri eksperimental'nykh iazvennykh porazheniiakh slizistoi obolochki zheludka i dvenadtsatiperstnoi kishki.

Experimental rats were subjected to an extreme action: 3-hour immobilization with simultaneous electrostimulation. A complete healing of erosion-ulcerous defects of the gastroduodenal mucosa was recorded in rats given diets with an increased (by 4 g) protein content (group I), on day 5. The mucosal affections in the rats receiving a standard ration still persisted. The content of creatine-phosphate in the gastric wall tissue, decreased under the extreme action, was rapidly recovered in group I rats, no changes in the proper fluorescence level of reduced NADH and flavoproteins were noted. In group II rats both parameters returned to normal only on day 5. Blood serum ceruloplasmin (CP) activity increased during first 3 days with a similar rate in both animal groups. However, in the following 2 days CP activity in group I rats became completely normal, while that in group II animals was still rising. The results of the study have shown that the diet with increased protein content stimulates epithelization of the gastroduodenal mucosa due to the improvement of the bioenergy processes in the gastroduodenal area, and to intensified adaptation potentialities of the body.

[Role of the nervous factor in the development of pathology of the internal organs as a result of exposing the body to extremely stressful treatment]. / Rol' nervnogo faktora v razvitii patologii vnutrennikh organov, vyzyvaemoi chrezvychainym vozdeistviem na organizm.

The paper compiles results of many years of studies performed at the Dept. of Pharmacology of the Inst. Exp. Med. of the USSR Acad. Med. Sci. and concerning neurotropic drugs for prophylaxis and pharmacological therapy of neurodystrophies underlying many a disease of internal organs. From the pharmacological standpoint, mechanisms of the neural control of trophic processes and formation of internal organs pathology are considered; significance of transmitter systems, mainly adrenergic for this control, is analysed; an important role of maintaining the tissue energy metabolism at a high level for augmentation of reparation processes, is proved; principles of prophylaxis and pharmacological therapy of internal organs diseases dependent on the neural factor, are revealed.

[Effects of lithium salts on experimental neurogenic lesions of the stomach and heart]. / Effekty solei litiia na éksperimental'nye neirogennye povrezhdeniia zheludka i serdtsa.

It has been demonstrated in experiments on noninbred rats that lithium chloride and lithium hydroxybutyrate exert a prophylactic therapeutic effect in respect to neurogenic gastric lesions and reduction in the content of creatine phosphate in gastric and cardiac tissues, induced by stressful exposures (3-hour immobilization and electric stimulation of hungry animals). The effects of lithium hydroxybutyrate were more demonstrable than those of lithium chloride.

[Use of neurotropic agents stimulating tissue trophic processes in treating ulcerative lesions of the gastric mucosa]. / Primenenie neirotropnykh sredstv, stimuliruiushchikh tkanevye troficheskie protsessy, pri lechenii iazvennykh porazhenii slizistoi obolochki zheludka.

The development of experimental neurogenic gastric ulcers was followed by a reduction in the noradrenaline and cAMP levels in the gastric tissue. The energy deficiency and upset nucleic metabolism were shown to underlie the structural lesions of the gastric mucosa. L-DOPA and etimizol stimulating the metabolic processes and the function of the sympathetic nervous system intensify the reparative processes during gastric ulceration.

[Mediator content of the rat brain in neurogenic gastric pathology]. / Soderzhanie nekotorykh mediatorov v golovnom mozge krys pri neirogennoi pathyologii zheludka.

A study was made of the content of some neurotransmitters in the rat brain during neurogenic gastric lesions induced by excessive irritation of the body. The 3-hour electric stimulation combined with immobilization of the animals and mechanical stimulation of the pyloroduodenal reflexogenic zone led to a noticeable reduction in the content of histamine, serotonin and GABA in the brain. It is suggested that histamine-, serotonin- and GABA-ergic systems are involved in the central mechanisms of the development of neurogenic gastric lesions.

[Clinico-pharmacological study of neurotropic agents in neurogenic diseases of the cardiovascular system and stomach]. / Kliniko-farmakologicheskoe izuchenie nekotorykh neirotropnykh sredstv pri neirogennykh zabolevaniiakh serdechno-sosudistoi sistemy i zheludka.

It has been established in experiments that as visceral pathology arising during excess exposures advances, the deficiency of energy resources develops in the tissues of damaged organs. Application of the agents that normalize the function of the sympathetic nervous system (L-DOPA) and stimulate energy formation processes (ethimizol) accelerated reparative processes in damaged stomach and myocardium. Application of L-DOPA and ethimizol to the treatment of peptic ulcer patients produced a good therapeutic effect--an increase in the creatine phosphate content in the gastric mucosa and removal of the niche symptom in 80% of cases.