Nanoparticle size and combined toxicity of TiO2 and DSLS (surfactant) contribute to lysosomal responses in digestive cells of mussels exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles.

The aim of this investigation was to understand the bioaccumulation, cell and tissue distribution and biological effects of disodium laureth sulfosuccinate (DSLS)-stabilised TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in marine mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were exposed in vivo to 0.1, 1 and 10 mg Ti/L either as TiO2 NPs (60 and 180 nm) or bulk TiO2, as well as to DSLS alone. A significant Ti accumulation was observed in mussels exposed to TiO2 NPs, which were localised in endosomes, lysosomes and residual bodies of digestive cells, and in the lumen of digestive tubules, as demonstrated by ultrastructural observations and electron probe X-ray microanalysis. TiO2 NPs of 60 nm were internalised within digestive cell lysosomes to a higher extent than TiO2 NPs of 180 nm, as confirmed by the quantification of black silver deposits after autometallography. The latter were localised mainly forming large aggregates in the lumen of the gut. Consequently, lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) was significantly reduced upon exposure to both TiO2 NPs although more markedly after exposure to TiO2-60 NPs. Exposure to bulk TiO2 and to DSLS also affected the stability of the lysosomal membrane. Thus, effects on the lysosomal membrane depended on the nanoparticle size and on the combined biological effects of TiO2 and DSLS.

Efficient second-harmonic generation and modal dispersion effects in orientation-patterned GaAs waveguides.

Efficient second-harmonic conversion of 4 microm radiation was demonstrated in orientation-patterned GaAs (OPGaAs) waveguides (WGs). An experimentally corrected phase-matching curve for second harmonic generation (SHG) in OPGaAs WGs is presented. Influence of WG modes on the SHG process was studied. Two distinct types of SHG in the waveguides were identified and related to the TE and TM modes. Each type has its own dependence on pump polarization. The 21% W(-1) normalized conversion efficiency is within a factor of 0.75 from the predicted value for an ideal WG.

Strontium hexaferrite nanomagnets suspended in a cosmetic preparation: a convenient tool to evaluate the biological effects of surface magnetism on human skin.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Magnetic therapy has been popular for ages, but its therapeutic abilities remain to be demonstrated. We aimed to develop a homogeneous, stable dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in a skin-care preparation, as a tool to analyze the biological and physiological effects of superficial magnetism in skin. METHODS: SrFe(12)O(19) nanoparticles were generated by ultrasound, dispersed in glycerol, stabilized in Dermud cream and permanently magnetized. The magnetic cream was applied on the epidermis of human skin organ cultures. The effects on UV-induced cell toxicity, apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine expression were analyzed. A clinical test was performed to check skin moisturization. RESULTS: Nanomagnets were found to be homogenously and stably dispersed. After magnetization, the preparation generated a magnetic field of 1-2 G. Upon cream application, no cytotoxicity and no impairment of cellular vitality were found after 24 and 48 h, respectively. The anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties of Dermud were not modified, but its long-term effect on moisturization in vivo was slightly increased. CONCLUSION: Nanomagnetic Dermud cream can be used as a tool to analyze the biological effects of nanomagnets dispersed on the skin surface at the cellular and molecular levels, thus allowing to explore the possible therapeutic uses of superficial magnetism for skin care.

Electrocoating of stainless steel coronary stents for extended release of paclitaxel.

Nonbiodegradable polymer coating based on N-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole (PPA) and butyl ester of PPA (BuOPy) were successfully electrodeposited on a stainless steel stent surface using cyclic voltammetry. Chemical composition of the coating was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Polymer stability was examined by immersing the coated stent into 1:1 solution of fetal calf serum:seline solution up to 1 year and implantation subcutaneously in mouse for 1 week. Morphology changes were then recorded by scanning electron microscopy. Paclitaxel loading was carried out by immersion into drug solution and its release was detected by HPLC. The results show that thin (single micrometers), uniform coating with various morphology and hydrophobicity can be created by electrochemical deposition. The polymer did not show significant histopathological or morphological changes in vitro and in vivo. The surface properties allow loading appropriate amounts of paclitaxel and release it slowly up to a month.

Intensity-dependent parametric amplification for traveling-wave signal processing.

We propose and demonstrate a nonlinear parametric amplification system that relies on sequential use of a nonlinear phase shift (Kerr-like effect) and on phase-sensitive parametric amplification. We demonstrate amplification that is 50% better than with a bare phase-sensitive amplifier as well as two additional effects: inversion of weak optical modulation and suppression of classical noise.

Efficient resonant frequency doubling of a cw Nd:YAG laser in bulk periodically poled KTiOPO(4).

A cw Nd:YAG laser was quasi-phase-matched frequency doubled by a bulk periodically poled flux-grown KTiOPO(4) crystal in an external resonant cavity. The conversion efficiency and the second-harmonic power with a pump of 225 mW were 55% and 123.5 mW, respectively. The loss of the 1-cm-long crystal, which operated near room temperature, was 1.3% and was dominated by scatter from the cleaved facets of the crystal. No damage, photorefractive or other, was observed at intensites of 370Wmm(-2) , but beam size had to be optimized to eliminate thermal-induced instabilities in the doubling cavity.

Highly efficient doubling of a high-repetition-rate diode-pumped laser with bulk periodically poled KTP.

An internal doubling efficiency of 64% at 2 MW/cm(2)was obtained in a single-pass configuration with an uncoated, 1-cm-long, bulk periodically poled KTP crystal placed outside the resonator of a pulsed, diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser. An average of 4.8W of green light was obtained from a 7.5-W pump beam inside the crystal. Doubling efficiency exceeded 50% at levels of 0.75 MW/cm(2). The measured thermal tolerance of the doubling process (FWHM) was 3.3( degrees )C cm, and the measured temperature tuning coefficient was 0.053 nm/( degrees )C .

Second-harmonic generation in Bragg-resonant quasi-phase-matched periodically segmented waveguides.

Second-harmonic generation in Bragg-resonant quasi-phase-matched periodically segmented waveguides is studied experimentally and theoretically. At resonance, a deep spectral valley appears in the quasi-phase-matching curve. Nevertheless, in practice, the conversion efficiency is significant, in spite of this effect, because of reduced reflections, especially at 2omega. The mechanism behind this reduction seems to be small random variation in the location and shape of the domain boundaries.

Protective and restorative role of AS101 in combination with chemotherapy.

The immunomodulator AS101 has been found previously by us to stimulate the secretion of high levels of interleukin 1 and colony stimulating factor (CSF) in vitro, as well as the production of CSF in vivo in mice models. These cytokines are known to induce proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells from the spleen and bone marrow (BM) and to protect mice from DNA-damaging agents. The present studies were designed to evaluate the effects of prolonged treatment with AS101 on myelopoiesis, BM cellularity, and CSF secretion in mice treated with a sublethal dose of cyclophosphamide (CYP) and on the survival of mice undergoing treatment with lethal doses of this compound. In this model, the hematopoietic progenitors were suppressed during the overbound phase of myelopoiesis resulting from the cytotoxic effects of CYP. This allowed the detection of a significant proliferative effect of AS101 in vivo on BM colony-forming units granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells, BM cellularity, and the secretion of CSF. Moreover, AS101 protected these animals from the lethal effects of high doses of CYP. These protective effects were demonstrable only when AS101 was administered to mice prior to CYP treatment. The only exception was CSF secretion by spleen cells that had been reconstituted when AS101 was administered both prior to and following CYP treatment. AS101 was found to have a synergistic effect with CYP in the treatment of tumor-bearing mice, suggesting that the combination of these two modalities provides a more effective treatment of their tumors. These results strongly suggest an immunoregulatory role for AS101 in counteracting the chemotherapy-induced hematopoietic suppression as well as usefulness as adjunct treatment of cancer when used in combination with CYP.

Radioprotective effects of the immunomodulator AS101.

Ammonium trichloro(dioxyethylene-O-O')tellurate (AS101) is a new synthetic compound previously described by us as having immunomodulating properties and minimal toxicity. Clinical trials are currently in progress with AS101 on AIDS and cancer patients. We found that AS101 was capable of inducing spleen cells and peritoneal exudate cells to secrete high quantities of CSF and IL-1. Because IL-1 has been previously described as a radioprotector and CSF may induce in vivo the proliferation of hemopoietic cells, we designed the present study in order to evaluate the effects of prolonged in vivo injections of AS101 on protection against lethal doses of irradiation, on the recovery pattern of precursor cells, and on the functioning of bone marrow (BM) and spleen cells of mice undergoing sublethal doses of treatment. We demonstrate that pretreatment with AS101 protects mice from lethal effects of ionizing radiation. AS101 was also found to significantly increase the number of BM and spleen cells, the absolute number of granulocyte macrophage-CFU and the secretion of CSF by BM cells. All were tested 9 days after sublethal dose of irradiation was administered. AS101 was found to have all of these radioprotective effects only when administered to mice before irradiation treatment. Moreover, the compound was found to enhance the proportion of CFU-S that enters the S phase of the cell cycle. These findings indicate that AS101 may be a promising agent to be used in reducing the time needed for reconstitution of hemopoietic cells after irradiation treatment.

Solar-pumped Er,Tm,Ho:YAG laser.

Direct solar illumination was used to pump a 5-mm-diameter 62-mm exposed-length rod of Er,Tm,Ho:YAG to achieve a quasi-cw lasing of the Ho ion at an average power of 12 W. The solar radiation was chopped at a 20% duty cycle to avoid overloading of the cooling system. The peak power output was more than 65 W during the chopper's open times. The slope efficiency is 3.8%, and the threshold input energy is approximately 100 W. The laser was operated for long times (up to hours) while maintaining its performance. This is, to our knowledge, the first directly solar-pumped laser operating at 77 K.

Observation of parametric gain suppression in rotational Raman transitions of N(2) and H(2).

The ratio of forward Raman conversion thresholds for linearly and circularly polarized laser light has been measured in low-Fresnel-number configurations for the strongest rotational Raman transitions of N(2) and H(2). In both cases the ratio is found to be in the range 2.5-3, corresponding to a threshold-suppression factor of 1.7-2 for the linearly polarized laser light. The observed spatial distributions of the Stokes light also confirm the presence of suppression along the direction of propagation of the incident linearly polarized laser light. Numerical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Measurement of Raman gain of the S(8) transition of N(2).

The ratio of the rotational Raman gain coefficients g of N(2) [S(8), 0.91 amagat] and H(2) [S(1), 0.73 amagat] was determined at 295 K by measuring the 5% conversion threshold for each in the same focused configuration, using a circularly polarized 1054-nm laser. After correcting for dispersion, the optical Stark effect, transient effects, laser-wing Stokes seed injection, and mode-beat intensity modulation, we obtained g(N(2))/g(H(2)) = (8.0 +/- 1.2) x 10(-3), so that g(N(2)) = 4.0 +/- 0.8 cm/TW.

Fast camera for x rays: a novel concept.

In laser fusion and related fields the interaction between the laser and the target material is followed by the emission of x rays. The time history of these x rays is experimentally recorded by streak cameras. The currently used streak cameras have physical limitations for the temporal and spatial resolution limit. This paper presents a novel concept for a streak camera where these limitations are relaxed. In the camera described the photoelectron is moving in parallel electric and magnetic fields. The proposed design parameters use moderate fields and give time resolution limits of a few picoseconds and no spatial dispersion in one dimension.