IL-4 regulates neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation in a mouse model of bronchial asthma.

Neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation in asthmatics substantially exacerbates the severity of the disease leading to resistance to conventional corticosteroid therapy. Many studies established the involvement of Th1- and Th17-cells and cytokines produced by them (IFNg, IL-17A, IL-17F etc.) in neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation.

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Respiratory Syncytial Viral Infection: Using Murine Models to Understand Human Pathology.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe pathology of the lower respiratory tract in infants, immunocompromised people, and elderly. Despite decades of research, there is no licensed vaccine against RSV, and many therapeutic drugs are still under development. Detailed understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms of the RSV infection pathology can accelerate the development of efficacious treatment.

Silencing of SARS-CoV-2 with modified siRNA-peptide dendrimer formulation.

Background: First vaccines for prevention of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are becoming available but there is a huge and unmet need for specific forms of treatment. In this study we aimed to evaluate the anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect of siRNA both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: To identify the most effective molecule out of a panel of 15 in silico designed siRNAs, an in vitro screening system based on vectors expressing SARS-CoV-2 genes fused with the firefly luciferase reporter gene and SARS-CoV-2-infected cells was used.

Thermal stress and end-bulging in monoclinic crystals: the case study of double tungstates.

An analytical description of the thermal stress and end-bulging component of thermal lensing is presented for monoclinic laser crystals, taking into account the anisotropy of their optical, thermal, and elastic properties for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The geometry of longitudinal diode-pumping (plane stress approximation) is considered. The developed approach is applied to the monoclinic double tungstates (MDTs), Yb:KGW, Yb:KYW, and Yb:KLuW, yielding values of normal and shear stresses, tensile stress, and the end-bulging term.

Passive Q-switching of an Er, Yb:glass laser with Co:Mg(Al,Ga)O-based glass-ceramics.

Transparent glass-ceramics (GCs) containing Co:Mg(Al,Ga)O nanocrystals (mean diameter of 7-9 nm) are synthesized by heat treatments at 850-950°C from magnesium aluminosilicate glass nucleated by TiO and doped with GaO and CoO. The GCs exhibit a broadband A4(F4)→T4(F4) absorption due to the Co ions, low saturation fluence (∼0.5  J/cm), fast recovery time of initial absorption (∼300  ns), and high laser damage threshold (∼20  J/cm).

Polarization anisotropy of thermal lens in Yb:KY(WO) laser crystal under high-power diode pumping.

Thermal lensing was studied in an N-cut monoclinic Yb:KY(WO) (Yb:KYW) laser crystal under high-power diode pumping at ∼980  nm, for the two principal light polarizations, E||N and E||N. For both polarizations, the thermal lens (TL) was positive. It was found that operation of an Yb:KYW laser with the E||N polarization corresponds to a weaker TL that results in a better quality of the laser beam and superior power scaling capabilities.

Monoclinic Tm:MgWO: a promising crystal for continuous-wave and passively Q-switched lasers at ∼2 μm.

Monoclinic thulium-doped magnesium monotungstate, Tm:MgWO, is promising for efficient power-scalable continuous-wave (CW) and passively Q-switched lasers at >2  μm. Under diode pumping at 802 nm, a compact CW laser based on Z-cut Tm:MgWO generated 3.09 W at 2022-2034 nm with a slope efficiency of 50% which represents the highest output power ever achieved with this type of laser host.

Crystal growth, optical spectroscopy and laser action of Tm-doped monoclinic magnesium tungstate.

We report on the crystal growth, spectroscopic investigation and laser performance of Tm-doped monoclinic magnesium tungstate (Tm:MgWO), for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. A high-quality crystal has been grown by the top seeded solution growth method. The relevant spectroscopic properties are characterized in terms of absorption, luminescence and Raman spectroscopy.

Saturable absorber: transparent glass-ceramics based on a mixture of Co:β-ZnSiO and Co:ZnO nanocrystals.

We report on the development of novel saturable absorbers for erbium lasers based on transparent glass-ceramics (GCs) containing a mixture of cobalt-doped β-willemite, Co:β-ZnSiO, and zinc oxide, Co:ZnO, nanosized (10-14 nm) crystals. The structure of the parent glass and GCs is studied by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Variations of absorption spectra with heat-treatment reveal that Co ions from the parent glass enter the crystals of ZnO and β-willemite.

Passive Q-switching of microchip lasers based on Ho:YAG ceramics.

A Ho:YAG ceramic microchip laser pumped by a Tm fiber laser at 1910 nm is passively Q-switched by single- and multi-layer graphene, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and Cr:ZnSe saturable absorbers (SAs). Employing SWCNTs, this laser generated an average power of 810 mW at 2090 nm with a slope efficiency of 68% and continuous wave to Q-switching conversion efficiency of 70%. The shortest pulse duration was 85 ns at a repetition rate of 165 kHz, and the pulse energy reached 4.

Sub-nanosecond Yb:KLu(WO) microchip laser.

A diode-pumped Yb:KLu(WO) microchip laser passively Q-switched by a Cr:YAG saturable absorber generated a maximum average output power of 590 mW at 1031 nm with a slope efficiency of 55%. The pulse characteristics were 690 ps/47.6 μJ at a pulse repetition frequency of 12.

Passive Q-switching of a Tm,Ho:KLu(WO) microchip laser by a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber.

A diode-pumped Tm,Ho:KLu(WO) microchip laser passively Q-switched with a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber generated an average output power of 131 mW at 2063.6 nm with a slope efficiency of 11% and a Q-switching conversion efficiency of 58%. The pulse characteristics were 14  ns/9  μJ at a pulse repetition frequency of 14.

Subnanosecond Tm:KLuW microchip laser Q-switched by a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber.

Passive Q-switching of a compact Tm:KLu(WO(4))(2) microchip laser diode pumped at 805 nm is demonstrated with a polycrystalline Cr(2+):ZnS saturable absorber. This laser generates subnanosecond (780 ps) pulses with a pulse repetition frequency of 5.6 kHz at 1846.

Dispersion and anisotropy of thermo-optic coefficients in tetragonal GdVO(4) and YVO(4) laser host crystals: erratum.

We addressed errors found in our measurements of thermo-optic coefficients and thermal coefficients of the optical path (TCOP) in tetragonal vanadates, YVO(4) and GdVO(4) [Appl. Opt.52, 698 (2013)].

Tm:KLu(WO(4))(2) microchip laser Q-switched by a graphene-based saturable absorber.

We report on the first Tm-doped double tungstate microchip laser Q-switched with graphene using a Tm:KLu(WO) crystal cut along the N dielectric axis. This laser generates a maximum average output power of 310 mW with a slope efficiency of 13%. At a repetition rate of 190 kHz the shortest pulses with 285 ns duration and 1.

In-band-pumped Ho:KLu(WO4)2 microchip laser with 84% slope efficiency.

We report on a continuous-wave Ho:KLu(WO4)2 (KLuW) microchip laser with a record slope efficiency of 84%, the highest value among the holmium inband-pumped lasers, delivering 201 mW output power at 2105 nm. The Ho laser operating at room temperature on the (5)I8→(5)I7 transition is in-band-pumped by a diode-pumped Tm:KLuW microchip laser at 1946 nm. Ho:KLuW laser operation at 2061 and 2079 nm is also demonstrated with a maximum slope efficiency of 79%.

Microchip laser operation of Tm,Ho:KLu(WO₄)₂ crystal.

A microchip laser is realized on the basis of a monoclinic Tm,Ho-codoped KLu(WO₄)₂crystal cut for light propagation along the Ng optical indicatrix axis. This crystal cut provides positive thermal lens with extremely weak astigmatism, S/M = 4%. High sensitivity factors, M = dD/dP(abs), of 24.

Diode-pumped microchip Tm:KLu(WO₄)₂ laser with more than 3 W of output power.

A diode-pumped microchip laser containing a quasi-monolithic plano-plano cavity is realized on the basis of a Tm:KLu(WO₄)₂ crystal. The maximum CW output power is 3.2 W (at an absorbed pump power of 6.

Dispersion and anisotropy of thermo-optic coefficients in tetragonal GdVO4 and YVO4 laser host crystals.

A detailed experimental study of dispersion and anisotropy of thermo-optic coefficients dn/dT and thermal coefficients of the optical path W=dn/dT+(n-1)α is performed for tetragonal YVO(4) and GdVO(4) laser host crystals by a laser beam deviation method. It is supported by theoretical description of thermo-optic effects, taking into account the volumetric thermal expansion effect and the temperature dependence of electronic bandgap E(g). Linear thermal expansion coefficients α were also determined by a dilatometric technique.

Thermo-optic coefficients study in KGd(WO4)2 and KY(WO4)2 by a modified minimum deviation method.

Thermo-optic coefficients anisotropy was characterized in monoclinic potassium (rare-earth) double tungstates KGd(WO4)2 and KY(WO4)2 in the spectral range of 0.44-0.63 μm by a modified minimum deviation method.

Thermo-optic coefficients and thermal lensing in Nd-doped KGd(WO4)2 laser crystals.

We measured the thermo-optic coefficients dn/dT of anisotropic Nd:KGd(WO(4))(2) crystals at the wavelengths of 1.064 μm and 532 nm (300 K) by a beam deflection method. The values of dn/dT are determined to be dn(p)/dT = -16.

Thermal lens study in diode pumped Ng- and Np-cut Nd:KGd(WO4)2 laser crystals.

A comparative study of thermal lensing effect in diode laser pumped Ng- and Np-cut Nd:KGd(WO4)2 (KGW) laser crystals was performed for laser emission polarized along the principle refractive axis, Nm. The thermal lens in the Ng-cut Nd: KGW was found to be weakly astigmatic with a positive refractive power for both the Nm- and Np-directions. For Np -cut Nd:KGW, strong astigmatism was observed and the refractive powers in the Ng- and Nm-directions had opposing signs.

Passive mode locking of 2.09 microm Cr,Tm,Ho:Y3Sc2Al3O12 laser using PbS quantum-dot-doped glass.

Passive Q-switched mode locking of a 2.09 microm flashlamp-pumped Cr(3+),Tm(3+),Ho(3+):Y(3)Sc(2)Al(3)O(12) laser by use of a phosphate glass doped with PbS quantum dots of 5 nm in radius was demonstrated. Mode-locked pulses of 290 ps in duration and up to 0.

Saturable Absorber Cr(4)+:(Sr, Ca)Gd(4)(SiO(4))(3)O Crystals as Q Switches for a Diode-Pumped Nd(3)+:KGd(WO(4))(2) Laser.

Passive Q switching of a diode-pumped Nd(3+):KGd(WO(4))(2) laser is demonstrated by use of Cr(4+):SrGd(4)(SiO(4))(3)O and Cr(4+):CaGd(4)(SiO(4))(3)O crystals as saturable absorbers. An average output power of 40 mW was obtained with a pulse repetition rate of ~0.4 MHz.