Numerical investigation of the energy limit in a picosecond fiber optic parametric oscillator.

Numerical simulation of a fiber optic parametric oscillator to produce picosecond narrowband pulses for coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy has been performed by an open source Python-based library using an extremely wide range of parameters, such as the pump pulse duration, parametric frequency shift, spectral bandwidth of the pump, and the parametric pulses. It required an extremely large calculation window, both in time and spectral domains. We managed to speed up the simulation 50 times using a graphic processor unit that allowed us to define the areas of stability for different lengths of standard passive (5-100 m) and photonic crystal (23-100 cm) fibers used in the external linear oscillator cavity. It was shown that highly chirped dissipative solitons at a wavelength about 800 nm can be generated with energy up to 55 nJ, which is limited by the pump depletion and self-phase modulation effects.

Microwave Radiometry (MWR) temperature measurement is related to symptom severity in patients with Low Back Pain (LBP).

Microwave Radiometry (MWR) has the advantage that measurements of internal (i.e. deep) tissue temperature may be obtained non-invasively by measuring naturally emitted radiation in GHz range. The goal of the present study is to further the development of MWR for clinical application in assessment of patients with Low Back Pain (LBP). In particular, a protocol was developed in which MWR was used to measure internal temperature at the level of the spinous processes of the L1 to L5 vertebral bodies along median and left and right para-vertebral lines. The protocol was used to study 48 patients with clinically confirmed acute or sub-acute LBP and 27 Controls. Analysis revealed there to be a significant increase in deep tissue temperature with increasing pain severity as measured by using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in patients with LBP (p < 0.05). In conclusion, MWR potentially allows for objective assessment of the magnitude of clinical symptoms in patients with LBP and shows promise for measuring pain severity.

Assessment of the reliability and validity of a novel point-of-care fibrinogen (F-Point) device against an industry standard at fibrinogen levels >2 g/L in non-haemorrhage scenarios.

INTRODUCTION: A diagnostic accuracy study assessing the reliability and validity of a novel plasma fibrinogen point-of-care (F-Point) device compared with the von Clauss method of assay. METHODS: Forty-one women presenting for elective caesarean delivery and 43 non-pregnant female patients presenting for elective gynaecological surgery were recruited to assess agreement at normal fibrinogen levels (elective gynaecological cohort) and high fibrinogen levels (elective caesarean section cohort). Validity was assessed by comparing the F-Point results with the gold standard of von Clauss fibrinogen assay performed on the ACL Top 500. Reliability (test-retest) and validity were assessed using the intraclass correlation to control for operator variance (two-way random absolute agreement method), presented as intra class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and 95% confidence interval, and Bland-Altman analysis, presented as mean bias and 95% limits of agreement and coefficient of variation (COV). RESULTS: The results demonstrated a high test-retest reliability demonstrated in the paired F-Point measurements with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.95, a bias of 0 (-00.69 to 0.69) and a COV of 9%. Similarly, there was acceptable agreement demonstrated between F-Point and von Clauss assay with an ICC of 0.91, a bias of -0.1 (-0.96 to 0.75) and a COV of 11%. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel plasma fibrinogen point-of-care device has been shown to be reliable and valid when testing fibrinogen levels as low as 2 g/L. Future studies investigating the correlation at lower fibrinogen levels, for example during haemorrhage and in patients with coagulopathies, are required.

Catastrophic damage in hollow core optical fibers under high power laser radiation.

The propagation of an optical discharge (OD) along hollow-core optical fibers (HCFs) is investigated experimentally. Silica-based revolver-type HCFs filled with atmospheric air were used as test samples. We observed that the average propagation velocity of an OD along the HCF (VAV) depends on the properties of the medium around the silica structure of the fiber. It is shown that the value of VAV changes by approximately a factor of three, depending on whether the optical discharge is moving along a polymer coated or uncoated fiber. The value of VAV practically does not change when the polymer is replaced by an immersion liquid (such as glycerol) or liquid gallium. By analyzing the destruction region's patterns that appear in the fiber cladding after an OD propagation, we propose the physical picture of the phenomenon.

The Effect of Electromagnetic Fields of Extremely Low Frequency 30 Hz on Rat Ovaries.

We studied the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field on the ovaries in rats. The female rats were exposed to a 30 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field of 4 kA/m for 2 h per day for a period of 10 weeks, including the period of embryonic development. After the exposure, the duration of the estrous cycle and serum levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, progesterone, and estradiol E2 were measured in different phases of the estrous cycle and morphological changes in the ovaries were evaluated. Lower levels of follicle stimulating hormone in the proestrus and progesterone in the estrus phase were found; in the ovaries, the content of primordial follicles was lower than in the control. The exposure to electromagnetic field in the selected mode caused no significant defects in the structure and function of rat ovaries.

[EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COURSE OF COMBINED REHABILITATION AFTER CEREBRAL STROKE].

Post-stroke rehabilitation remains a serious challenge, in the first place due to the high mortality and disablement level. We report the results of the treatment of 90 patients in the early recovery period after stroke. They were divided into 3 groups matched for the gender, age, initial locomotor parameters, cognitive and psychoemotional disorders. The study revealed a significant decrease of initial characteristics of the quality of life coupled to an increase of anxiety, depression, and social dependence. Comparative assessment of effectiveness of various rehabilitative methods showed that combination of mirror therapy, programmed functional electrostimulation using an AKorD-Multimiostim apparatus, physical exercises, relaxation, autotraining and visualization procedures significantly improved the quality of life, psychoemotional status, and cognitive functions. Catamnestic data suggested the high level of social and occupational re-adaptation (63.6% of the patients were able to resume professional activities and regain their previous position). It is concluded that the quantitative evaluation of the quality of life parameters in the course of combined rehabilitation after cerebral stroke is of prognostic significance for the estimation of the effectiveness of therapeutic measures and their choice on an individual basis.

[The study of dynamics of clinical and molecular phenotypes in the generalized form of myasthenia with optimized and combined treatment].

The aim of the study was the research of clinical and molecular phenotypes in the generalized form of myasthenia with optimized treantment, which includes the application of basic mode of the treatment and meglumine sodium succinate, and also the combined mode of the treatment, which includes the mode of the treatment and meglumine sodium succinate and ozonotherapy. The most epressed improvement of indicators of the clinical and neurologic status (the eliminaton of motoring breakdown, eye movement disrders, the weaknesses of mimic, respiratory and chewing muscles, bulbar syndrome, the doubling in eye and ptosis, pharyngeal violations and increase in volume of movement of eyes) was observed in the group of patients receiving the combined therapy. The reduction of the epressiveness of the defeat of the neuromotor device and the decrement of the amplitude of the various degree of M-answer in patients with myasthenla is revealed in the application of the combined therapy in the comparison with the application of the basic and optimized therapy. For the first time we have investigaed the dynamics of the intensity of the expression of specfic peptides and proteins in blood serum in patients with the application of basic therapy, reamberin and ozonotherapy, which have allowed to open the new mechanisms of the efficiency ofthe combined therapy of the disease.

[Geographic variation and temporal population differentiation of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta from some regions of the Russian Far East].

Allozyme variation of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta was examined in the populations from nine rivers of the Russian Far East. A total of 12 loci were tested, and eight of these were shown to be polymorphic. The greatest contribution to the samples differentiation was made by the EST-D1* and sIDHP-2* loci. Most of the allele diversity was distributed among the individuals within the samples. The among-sample differences within races were statistically significant and accounted for slightly more than 7% of total variation. The differences between the races constituted 0.1% and were statistically nonsignificant. Genetic similarity of seasonal races within single locality allowed suggestion on their secondary formation after settling of founder population into a certain region.

[Development of the model of the cell cycle synchronization in early embryos of Danio rerio (Teleostei)].

An attempt was undertaken to develop a model system based on artificial cell cycle synchronization by means of reversible mitosis blocking in zebrafish embryos for studying the role of cell cycle synchrony in embryogenesis. Dechorionized and intact embryos at the stages of 512-cell blastula and 75% epiboly were treated with nocodazole and then washed within several times of exposure. When working on dechorionized embryos, we succeeded to obtain complete block mitosis in the presence of low nocodazole concentrations: 0.5-1.0 microg/ml. Block of mitosis was relieved in all experimental series within a certain time after the beginning of washing. This inertia depended on both nocodazole concentration and duration of treatment. The nocodazole elimination was significantly accelerated only after five (or more) changes of washing medium containing DMSO. As a result, the conditions were established for obtaining a parasynchronous cell population in the zebrafish gastrulas with a peak of mitosis up to 17.2%.

[Population as a conservation and management unit in vertebrate animals].

Under discussion are such population groups as management unit (stock) and evolutionarily significant unit, along with the problem of short-term ans long-term goals of conservation activities and wildlife management. The short-term goals may differ from the long-term goals. Management units (stocks) are demographically independent populations, though genetically they may be interconnected to a high degree. It is at this level of population organization that the short-term nature management goals are reached: the preservation of stable reproduction of management units, and the exclusion of excessive pressure on small groups. The evolutionarily significant units have independent conservation status determined by significant reproductive isolation and unique adaptations. It is at this level that long-term management goals are reached: the conservation of the native population structure, the evolutionarily significant differences, the maximum genetic diversity, and, thus, the evolutionary potential.

[The rule of "one migrant per generation" and genetic differentiation in subdivided populations].

The genetic differentiation in population with migration according island and two-dimensional stepping stone models was studied with simulation methods. It is shown that migration of one or few individuals per generation is insufficient for leveling differences between subpopulations in allele frequencies. Even if migration is estimated as m = 0.5 (exchange of 50 and 500 individuals per generation) statistically significant differences remain at least in the half of populations with insular structure. Spatial heterogeneity disappears completely only if m = 0.7-0.8. In case of two-dimensional step model the level of genetic differentiation is higher and statistically significant heterogeneity remains at all levels of genetic exchange including that which was estimated as m = 1.

[Equilibrium between genetic drift and migration at various mutation rates: simulation analysis].

Rates of approach to equilibrium values of F(ST)/R(ST) at various mutation rates and using different mutation models (K-allele model KAM and stepwise model SMM) were analyzed numerically for the finite island model and the one-dimensional stepping stone models of migration, using simulation. In the island model of migration and the KAM mutation model, the rate of approach to the equilibrium F(ST) value was appreciably higher and the equilibrium value was almost twofold lower at micro (mutation rate) = m (migration rate) than at micro << m. In the one-dimensional stepping stone model of migration and the KAM model of mutation, the mutation rate significantly affected both the rate of approaching F(ST) equilibrium and the equilibrium value. In both island and one-dimensional stepping stone models and SMM, R(ST) was not influenced by various mutation rates. The rate of approach to the equilibrium values of both F(ST) and R(ST) was lower for the stepping stone model than to the island model. RST was rather resistant to deviations from the SMM mutation model.

[Effective size of the early-run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka population of Lake Azabach'e, Kamchatka Peninsula evaluation of the effect of interaction between subpopulations within a subdivided population].

The effect of subdivision on the effective size (Ne) of the early-run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka population of Lake Azabach'e (Kamchatka Peninsula) has been studied. The mode of this effect is determined by the relative productivity of the subpopulations and its magnitude, by the rate of individual migration among subpopulations and genetic differentiation. If the contributions of subpopulations (offspring numbers) are different, genetic differentiation can reduce the Ne of the subdivided population. At equal subpopulation contributions, genetic differentiation always increases the Ne of the subdivided population in comparison with a panmictic population. We have found that all sockeye salmon subpopulations of Azabach'e Lake produce equal offspring numbers contributing to the next generation. The genetic differentiation between sockeye salmon subpopulations is low, and the subdivision increases the Ne of the early-run race with reference to the sum of the effective sizes of the subpopulations by as little as 2%.

[The rate of approach to the equilibrium value of F(ST) in island and one-dimensional stepping-stone models of migration]. / Skorost' priblizheniia k ravnovesnomu sostoianiiu po F(ST) v ostrovnoi i odnomernoi poshagovoi modeliakh migratsii.

The rate of approach to the equilibrium value of FST was analyzed numerically for the finite island and one-dimensional stepping-stone models using computer simulation. For both models, this rate was shown to decrease with decreasing migration rate among subpopulations but in the case of the stepping-stone model, it takes thousands rather than tens of generations to reach the equilibrium. Unlike the island structure of migration, in the stepping-stone model an increase in the subpopulation number reduces the rate of reaching the equilibrium state.

[Effective size of subpopulations in early-run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Azabach'e Lake (Kamchatka): the effect of relative reproductive success of different-year cohorts]. / Effektivnaia velichina subpopliatsii rannei rasy tikhookeanskogo lososia nerki Oncorhynchus nerka ozera Azabach'ego (Kamchatka): otsenka vliianiia reproduktivnogo uspekha neresta razlichnykh let v predelakh pokoleniia.

The effect of variation in reproductive success of cohorts of different year of birth (within generation) on the effective subpopulation (breeding group) size in early-run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Azabach'e Lake (Kamchatka). The annual variation in census size and overlapping of year classes reduced the ratio of the effective subpopulation size to the census size by 7 to 88% in different subpopulations. The total effect of the variance of reproductive success in individual years and the variance of reproductive success of different cohorts reduced the effective size/census size ratio by 68-96%.

[Effective size of subpopulation of the early run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Azabach's Lake (Kamchatka): effect of density on variance of reproductive success]. / Effektivnaia velichina subpopulatsii rannei rasy tikhookeanskogo lososia nerki Oncorhynchus nerka ozera azabach'eo (kamchatka). Otsenka vliianiia reproduktivnogo uspekha osobei v zavisimosti ot ikh plotnosti na nerestilishchakh.

Using Parensky's approach for estimating the number of breeding pairs, we determined effective subpopulation size Ne in early-run sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka from Azabach'e Lake (Kamchatka) in 1977 through 1981. On average (over years and populations), biased sex ratio decreased Ne by 7% as compared to the number of fish on the spawning sites (Ni). High density reduced the Ne/Ni ratio by 62-66% because some fish were excluded from spawning. Dominance polygyny as compared to monogamy and random union of gametes could reduce Ne by about 17%.

[Genetic variability and differentiation of populations of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum) from the southern Russian Far East]. / Geneticheskaia izmenchivost' i differentsiatsiia populiatsi kety Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum) iuga dal'nego vostoka.

Allozyme variation of populations of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta from southern Russian Far East was examined. Of 55 loci screened, 31 were polymorphic. Within-population variation accounted for most of the allele diversity; FST averaged over loci was 0.052. Linkage disequilibrium was found in less than 5% of locus pairs in the chum population examined. Analysis of within- and among-population variance components of linkage disequilibrium using D-statistics (Ohta, 1982) showed that most genetic variation was distributed among populations.