Attosecond pulse walk-off in high-order harmonic generation.

We study the influence of the generation conditions on the group delay of attosecond pulses in high-order harmonic generation in gases. The group delay relative to the fundamental field is found to decrease with increasing gas pressure in the generation cell, reflecting a temporal walk-off due to the dispersive properties of the nonlinear medium. This effect is well reproduced using an on-axis phase-matching model of high-order harmonic generation in an absorbing gas.

Spectral phase measurement of a Fano resonance using tunable attosecond pulses.

Electron dynamics induced by resonant absorption of light is of fundamental importance in nature and has been the subject of countless studies in many scientific areas. Above the ionization threshold of atomic or molecular systems, the presence of discrete states leads to autoionization, which is an interference between two quantum paths: direct ionization and excitation of the discrete state coupled to the continuum. Traditionally studied with synchrotron radiation, the probability for autoionization exhibits a universal Fano intensity profile as a function of excitation energy. However, without additional phase information, the full temporal dynamics cannot be recovered. Here we use tunable attosecond pulses combined with weak infrared radiation in an interferometric setup to measure not only the intensity but also the phase variation of the photoionization amplitude across an autoionization resonance in argon. The phase variation can be used as a fingerprint of the interactions between the discrete state and the ionization continua, indicating a new route towards monitoring electron correlations in time.

On coherence of Bose field.

We study a system of interacting bosons at zero temperature in an atomic trap. Using wave function that models the ground state of interacting bosons we examine the concepts of the order parameter, off-diagonal order and coherence of the system. We suggest that the coherence length becomes much smaller than the size of the system if the number of trapped particles exceeds a certain limit. This behavior is related to the unavoidable existence of two different length scales -- one determined by the external potential and the second one depending on the two-body forces.

Low-temperature ultrafast mobility in systems with long-range repulsive interactions: Pb/Si(111).

A realization of the numerous phases predicted in systems with long-range repulsive interactions was recently found in Pb/Si(111). Surprisingly, these numerous phases can be grown at low temperatures approximately 40 K over macroscopic distances. This unusual observation can be explained from theoretical calculations of the collective diffusion coefficient D(c) in systems with long-range repulsive interactions. Instead of a gradual dependence of D(c) on coverage, it was found that D(c) has sharp maxima at low temperatures for every stable phase (i.e., for every rational value of the coverage theta=p/q) in agreement with the experiment.

Behavior of transplanted large granular lymphocyte leukemia in Fischer 344 rats.

The behavior of transplanted large granular lymphocyte leukemia was studied by isogeneic inoculation of 55 young F344 rats. A high percentage of transplants were successful, showing a dose-dependent latent phase followed by weight loss, exponential increase of tumor cells, and widespread infiltration. Serial passage of tumor cells appeared to increase malignancy by decreasing longevity. Grossly, there was splenomegaly, variable lymphadenopathy, and petechial hemorrhages on the lungs, lymph nodes, and brain. Diffuse infiltration of tumor cells caused morphologic changes identical with spontaneous large granular lymphocyte leukemia including splenic lymphoid depletion, hepatocellular necrosis, tumor cell erythrophagocytosis, and femoral medullary endosteal bone proliferation. Clinicopathologic features were also similar to spontaneous large granular lymphocyte leukemia. There was immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia, which coincided with development of leukemia, as well as hyperbilirubinemia and elevated serum enzymes, indicative of liver disease. It was concluded that isogeneic transplantation of large granular lymphocyte leukemia is not only highly successful but reproduces the pattern and clinical syndrome of the spontaneous tumor including the important paraneoplastic syndrome of hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia.

The active monomeric form of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha interacts with high- and low-affinity classes of receptors on human hematopoietic cells.

Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) and its human homologue GOS19.1/LD78 are members of the C-C chemokine/intercrine family of secreted proteins. They have proinflammatory properties and also inhibit cell cycle progression of hematopoietic stem cells. Characterization of MIP-1 alpha receptor(s) has been confused because of its reported aggregation to inactive forms. Using a defined monomeric form of MIP-1 alpha that is biologically active for stem cell inhibition and induction of oxidative metabolism in polymorphonuclear cells, we report the detection of high- and low-affinity receptor classes on human leukemic CD34+ blast cells, promyelocytic cells, monocytes, peripheral blood neutrophils, and T cells. Both high- and low-affinity classes are expressed simultaneously in promyelocytes and neutrophils. The calculated kd for high-affinity receptors correlates with the concentrations of MIP-1 alpha required to induce a biologic effect on stem cells and neutrophils. Cross-linking studies show that MIP-1 alpha associates with two cell surface proteins with apparent molecular masses of 92 kD and 52 kD. Direct competition binding studies combined with studies on the inhibition of stem cells show that human and murine MIP-1 alpha have different receptor-binding and biologic properties.

Stress-related immune suppression: health implications.

This study used a year-long prospective design to assess linkages among distress, immunity, and illness. Serial blood samples were collected from 40 first-year medical students at the first, third, and fifth examination periods, as well as 1 month before each. There were significant decrements in the production of gamma-interferon by concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocytes obtained at the time of examinations. Antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) increased during examination periods, suggesting reactivation of latent EBV and therefore poorer cellular immune control of latent virus. We obtained data that suggest that T-cell killing by memory T lymphocytes of EBV transformed autologous B lymphocytes also declined during examination periods. The activity of a lymphokine, leukocyte migration inhibition factor, normally suppressed during recrudescence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infections, was altered during examination periods and an increase in both plasma and intracellular levels of cyclic AMP associated with examination stress was observed. An increase in the incidence of self-reported symptoms of infectious illness was also associated with examination periods. The data support the linkage between stress-related immunosuppression and health.