Nanosecond parametric Raman anti-Stokes SrWO4 laser at 507 nm with collinear phase matching.

Collinear phase matching of the Stokes ↔ anti-Stokes interaction for Raman-active crystals with different birefringence was studied theoretically as well as experimentally. It was shown that collinear phase matching of the Stokes ↔ anti-Stokes interaction in low-birefringent crystals can be insensitive to angular mismatch if a phase matching angle is higher than 60°. We have developed and experimentally realized an extracavity parametric Raman anti-Stokes laser based on a low-birefringent SrWO4. Cyan 507-nm anti-Stokes conversion from green (532 nm) pump radiation of a 5-ns, 1-mJ second harmonic Nd:YAG laser has been obtained. Laser setup with a single beam excitation made it possible to use an output face of the SrWO4 crystal as an output coupler because of wide (6°) angular tolerance of collinear phase matching that resulted in an increase of slope efficiency of anti-Stokes generation higher than 3% at the anti-Stokes energy output of a 10-µJ level.

Effect of diamond-like carbon doped with chromium on cell differentiation, immune activation and apoptosis.

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is a biocompatible material that has many potential biomedical applications, including in orthopaedics. DLC layers doped with Cr at atomic percent (at.%) of 0, 0.9, 1.8, 7.3, and 7.7 at.% were evaluated with reference to their osteoinductivity with human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), immune activation potential with RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells, and their effect on apoptosis in Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cells and neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). At mRNA level, hMSCs on DLC doped with 0.9 and 7.7 at.% of Cr reached higher maximum values of both RUNX2 and alkaline phosphatase. An earlier onset of mRNA production of type I collagen and osteocalcin was also observed on these samples; they also supported the production of both type I collagen and osteocalcin. RAW 264.7 macrophages were screened using a RayBio™ Human Cytokine Array for cytokine production. 10 cytokines were at a concentration more than 2 × as high as the concentration of a positive control, but the values for the DLC samples were only moderately higher than the values on glass. NHDF cells, but not Saos-2 cells, had a higher expression of pro-apoptotic markers Bax and Bim and a lower expression of anti-apoptotic factor BCL-XL in proportion to the Cr content. Increased apoptosis was also proven by annexin V staining. These results show that a Cr-doped DLC layer with a lower Cr content can act as an osteoinductive material with relatively low immunogenicity, but that a higher Cr content can induce cell apoptosis.

The Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Conundrum-Redefining the Problem and Finding Common Ground?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or diastolic heart failure (DHF) makes up more than half of all congestive heart failure presentations (CHF). With an ageing population, the case load and the financial burden is projected to increase, even to epidemic proportions. CHF hospitalizations add too much of the financial and infrastructure strain. Unlike systolic heart failure (SHF), much is still either uncertain or unknown. Specifically, in epidemiology, the disease burden is established; however, risk factors and pathophysiological associations are less clear; diagnostic tools are based on rigid parameters without the ability to accurately monitor treatments effects and disease progression; finally, therapeutics are similar to SHF but without prognostic data for efficacy. RECENT FINDINGS: The last several years have seen guidelines changing to account for greater epidemiological observations. Most of these remain general observation of shortness of breath symptom matched to static echocardiographic parameters. The introduction of exercise diastolic stress test has been welcome and warrants greater focus. HFpEF is likely to see new thinking in the coming decades. This review provides some of perspective on this topic.

Extracavity pumped parametric Raman nanosecond crystalline anti-Stokes laser at 954 nm with collinear orthogonally polarized beam interaction at tangential phase matching.

The extracavity parametric Raman CaCO3 anti-Stokes laser at 954 nm excited by two orthogonally polarized (pump and probe) equal frequency laser beams was proposed and investigated. Tangential phase matching conditions for the orthogonally polarized Raman components four-wave mixing in the CaCO3 crystal at stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) under 1064-nm excitation were theoretically studied and applied for a novel nanosecond parametric Raman laser allowing to increase the 954-nm anti-Stokes generation efficiency. In agreement with the theoretical modeling, using the high-Q external cavity scheme we have experimentally achieved the highest optical-to-optical (1064 nm to 954 nm) efficiency of 4% in comparison with the known crystalline parametric Raman anti-Stokes lasers. The ~3 ns anti-Stokes output pulse energy was 0.3 mJ with high beam quality factor M2 = 1.1 × 1.2.

Room temperature Fe2+:Cd1-xMnxTe laser generating at 5.4-6 µm.

Six-µm laser generation at room temperature was achieved from Fe2+-doped Cd1-xMnxTe solid-solution active media for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Laser properties of Fe2+:Cd1-xMnxTe crystals with various concentrations of manganese Mn (x=0.1, 0.52, 0.56, 0.68, and 0.76) were investigated. The increase of Mn content in these crystals was shown to result in an almost similar long-wavelength shift of absorption, fluorescence, and laser output spectra of about ∼60 nm per each 10% of Mn. Laser generation was achieved in all crystals with maximum output energies up to 30 µJ (for x=0.52). The laser central oscillation wavelength is significantly influenced by Mn concentration and varies in the range from 5400 nm up to 6000 nm.

Chemical-bond effect on epitaxial strain in perovskite sodium niobate.

Epitaxial films and heterostructures of perovskite oxides attract tremendous scientific interest because of the unique phenomena therein. Especially important is the epitaxial growth of films subjected to substrate-induced misfit strain. We show here that in contrast to conventional misfit-controlled epitaxy, chemical bonds determine the crystal stability and strain in epitaxial films of sodium niobate on different cubic substrates. Strain relaxation in sodium niobate is independent of misfit magnitude and proceeds through perovskite-specific tilting of oxygen octahedra in addition to common defect formation. The observed structural relaxation evidences a major role of a large internal strain that originates from chemical bonds in the perovskite cell. The effect of chemical bonds on film strain is anticipated to also control the epitaxy of other perovskite oxides and related compounds.

A Pluto-like radius and a high albedo for the dwarf planet Eris from an occultation.

The dwarf planet Eris is a trans-Neptunian object with an orbital eccentricity of 0.44, an inclination of 44 degrees and a surface composition very similar to that of Pluto. It resides at present at 95.7 astronomical units (1 AU is the Earth-Sun distance) from Earth, near its aphelion and more than three times farther than Pluto. Owing to this great distance, measuring its size or detecting a putative atmosphere is difficult. Here we report the observation of a multi-chord stellar occultation by Eris on 6 November 2010 UT. The event is consistent with a spherical shape for Eris, with radius 1,163 ± 6 kilometres, density 2.52 ± 0.05 grams per cm(3) and a high visible geometric albedo, Pv = 0.96(+0.09)(-0.04). No nitrogen, argon or methane atmospheres are detected with surface pressure larger than ∼1 nanobar, about 10,000 times more tenuous than Pluto's present atmosphere. As Pluto's radius is estimated to be between 1,150 and 1,200 kilometres, Eris appears as a Pluto twin, with a bright surface possibly caused by a collapsed atmosphere, owing to its cold environment. We anticipate that this atmosphere may periodically sublimate as Eris approaches its perihelion, at 37.8 astronomical units from the Sun.

Cryogenically-cooled Yb:YGAG ceramic mode-locked laser.

This work reports on a liquid-nitrogen-cooled, SESAM mode-locked Yb:YGAG (Yb:Y(3)Ga(2)Al(3)O(12)) ceramic laser. The Yb:YGAG has a similar structure to Yb:YAG, but its emission spectrum at low temperature remains much broader, which is suitable for ultrashort pulse generation and amplification. A stable pulse train with 119-MHz repetition rate was obtained at a wavelength of 1026 nm. The measured pulse duration is 2.4 ps, which is more than four times shorter than that achieved with a cryogenically-cooled Yb:YAG. Furthermore, laser performance of the Yb:YGAG ceramics in continuous-wave operation and wavelength tunability at 80 K was investigated.

Spectroscopic and laser properties of bulk iron doped zinc magnesium selenide Fe:ZnMgSe generating at 4.5 - 5.1 µm.

The Fe:Zn(1-x)Mg(x)Se (x = 0.19, 0.27, and 0.38) solid solutions spectroscopic properties were investigated and laser oscillations were achieved for the first time. The increase of the magnesium concentration in the Fe:ZnMgSe crystal was shown to result in an almost similar long wavelength shift of both absorption and fluorescence spectra of about 60 nm per each 10% of magnesium. With the Fe:ZnMgSe crystal temperature decrease, the fluorescence spectrum maximum shifts towards shorter wavelength resulting mainly from strong narrowing of the longest wavelength fluorescence line. Laser radiation wavelength dependence on the magnesium concentration as well as on temperature was observed. The Fe:ZnMgSe x = 0.38 laser oscillation wavelength increased from 4780 nm at 80 K to 4920 nm at 240 K using the optical resonator without any intracavity spectrally-selective element. In comparison with the Fe:ZnSe laser operating in similar conditions, these wavelengths at both temperatures were shifted by about 500 nm towards mid-IR region.

2-µm wavelength, high-energy Ho:YLF chirped-pulse amplifier for mid-infrared OPCPA.

A 2-µm wavelength laser delivering up to 39-mJ energy, ∼10 ps duration pulses at 100-Hz repetition rate is reported. The system relies on chirped pulse amplification (CPA): a modelocked Er:Tm:Ho fiber-seeder is followed by a Ho:YLF-based regenerative amplifier and a cryogenically cooled Ho:YLF single pass amplifier. Stretching and compressing are performed with large aperture chirped volume Bragg gratings (CVBG). At a peak power of 3.3 GW, the stability was <1% rms over 1 h, confirming high suitability for OPCPA and extreme nonlinear optics applications.

Flares from a candidate Galactic magnetar suggest a missing link to dim isolated neutron stars.

Magnetars are young neutron stars with very strong magnetic fields of the order of 10(14)-10(15) G. They are detected in our Galaxy either as soft gamma-ray repeaters or anomalous X-ray pulsars. Soft gamma-ray repeaters are a rare type of gamma-ray transient sources that are occasionally detected as bursters in the high-energy sky. No optical counterpart to the gamma-ray flares or the quiescent source has yet been identified. Here we report multi-wavelength observations of a puzzling source, SWIFT J195509+261406. We detected more than 40 flaring episodes in the optical band over a time span of three days, and a faint infrared flare 11 days later, after which the source returned to quiescence. Our radio observations confirm a Galactic nature and establish a lower distance limit of approximately 3.7 kpc. We suggest that SWIFT J195509+261406 could be an isolated magnetar whose bursting activity has been detected at optical wavelengths, and for which the long-term X-ray emission is short-lived. In this case, a new manifestation of magnetar activity has been recorded and we can consider SWIFT J195509+261406 to be a link between the 'persistent' soft gamma-ray repeaters/anomalous X-ray pulsars and dim isolated neutron stars.

Tunable, high-energy, mid-infrared, picosecond optical parametric generator based on CdSiP2.

We report a tunable, high-energy, single-pass optical parametric generator (OPG) based on the nonlinear material, cadmium silicon phosphide, CdSiP(2). The OPG is pumped by a cavity-dumped, passively mode-locked, diode-pumped Nd:YAG oscillator, providing 25 µJ pulses in 20 ps at 5 Hz. The pump energy is further boosted by a flashlamp-pumped Nd:YAG amplifier to 2.5 mJ. The OPG is temperature tunable over 1263-1286 nm (23 nm) in the signal and 6153-6731 nm (578 nm) in the idler. Using the single-pass OPG configuration, we have generated signal pulse energy as high as 636 µJ at 1283 nm, together with idler pulse energy of 33 µJ at 6234 nm, for 2.1 mJ of input pump pulse energy. The generated signal pulses have durations of 24 ps with a FWHM spectral bandwidth of 10.4 nm at central wavelength of 1276 nm. The corresponding idler spectrum has a FWHM bandwidth of 140 nm centered at 6404 nm.

d0 ferromagnetic interface between nonmagnetic perovskites.

We use computational and experimental methods to study d(0) ferromagnetism at a charge-imbalanced interface between two perovskites. In SrTiO(3)/KTaO(3) superlattice calculations, the charge imbalance introduces holes in the SrTiO(3) layer, inducing a d(0) ferromagnetic half-metallic 2D hole gas at the interface oxygen 2p orbitals. The charge imbalance overrides doping by vacancies at realistic concentrations. Varying the constituent materials shows ferromagnetism to be a general property of hole-type d(0) perovskite interfaces. Atomically sharp epitaxial d(0) SrTiO(3)/KTaO(3), SrTiO(3)/KNbO(3), and SrTiO(3)/NaNbO(3) interfaces are found to exhibit ferromagnetic hysteresis at room temperature. We suggest that the behavior is due to the high density of states and exchange coupling at the oxygen t(1g) band in comparison with the more studied d band t(2g) symmetry electron gas.

A photometric redshift of z = 6.39 +/- 0.12 for GRB 050904.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and their afterglows are the most brilliant transient events in the Universe. Both the bursts themselves and their afterglows have been predicted to be visible out to redshifts of z approximately 20, and therefore to be powerful probes of the early Universe. The burst GRB 000131, at z = 4.50, was hitherto the most distant such event identified. Here we report the discovery of the bright near-infrared afterglow of GRB 050904 (ref. 4). From our measurements of the near-infrared afterglow, and our failure to detect the optical afterglow, we determine the photometric redshift of the burst to be z = 6.39 - 0.12 + 0.11 (refs 5-7). Subsequently, it was measured spectroscopically to be z = 6.29 +/- 0.01, in agreement with our photometric estimate. These results demonstrate that GRBs can be used to trace the star formation, metallicity, and reionization histories of the early Universe.

Elevated iron indices in preterm infants: association with male gender.

Elevated iron indices may be underrecognized in preterm infants. Sixty growing, stable preterm infants < 1500 g studied had elevated iron indices, which was especially elevated in male infants. Careful evaluation of iron indices is essential to prevent potential organ injury and unnecessary iron supplementation.

Perovskite ferroelectric tuned by thermal strain.

Modern environmental and sustainability issues as well as the growing demand for applications in the life sciences and medicine put special requirements to the chemical composition of many functional materials. To achieve desired performance within these requirements, innovative approaches are needed. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that thermal strain can effectively tune the crystal structure and versatile properties of relatively thick films of environmentally friendly, biocompatible, and low-cost perovskite ferroelectric barium titanate. The strain arises during post-deposition cooling due to a mismatch between the thermal expansion coefficients of the films and the substrate materials. The strain-induced in-plane polarization enables excellent performance of bottom-to-top barium titanate capacitors akin to that of exemplary lead-containing relaxor ferroelectrics. Our work shows that controlling thermal strain can help tailor response functions in a straightforward manner.

Influence of hydroxyapatite crystallinity on the growth of keratinocytes.

Dental implantology is a field, which has made a great progression recently. The main task nowadays is to shorten the healing period and so improve the comfort for the patients. One possibility how to full fil this task is to coat the surface of the implant. Very promising material seems to be hydroxyapatite, which is a natural component of human body and suitable method is the pulsed laser deposition. In our study we tried to evaluate difference between crystalline and amorphous hydroxyapatite coated dental implants from the biological point of view. We found that the cells were able to adhere to all of our studied samples. The worst proliferation of fibroblasts was found on the amorphous coating, whereas the adhesion was fully comparable with other surfaces. The level of keratinocyte differentiation was the same on both of the studied surfaces.

[Changes of neurocognitive functions as result of cancer treatment in children and adolescents]. / Zmeny v oblasti neurokognitivních funkcí v dusledku lécby nádorových onemocnení detí a dospívajících.

BACKGROUND: The monitoring of the late effects of childhood cancer treatments was established approximately in the 1970s. With an increasing number of children cancer survivors the identification of the short-term or late effects becomes more detailed. The psychosocial and cognitive problems are of the most frequent sequelae of the cancer treatment and their prevalence is nearly 20% in survivors of childhood cancer. These problems can have an adverse impact on further professional career or private life in the childhood cancer survivors. The most threatened group of patients are children treated for brain tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. DESIGN: The object of this paper is to review the present information in the area of the neuropsychological sequelae in the childhood cancer survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of the specific cognitive problems in childhood cancer survivors can have the profound impact on improvement of the support delivered to the children and adolescents by their families, in the school and further career. Tailored interventions can have the positive impact on the quality of life of this subgroup of children. Multidisciplinary approach including routine psychological screening is necessary for addressed follow-up care concerning this vulnerable at-risk population.

Thermooptical evidence of carrier-stabilized ferroelectricity in ultrathin electrodeless films.

Ferroelectric films may lose polarization as their thicknesses decrease to a few nanometers because of the depolarizing field that opposes the polarization therein. The depolarizing field is minimized when electrons or ions in the electrodes or the surface/interface layers screen the polarization charge or when peculiar domain configuration is formed. Here, we demonstrate ferroelectric phase transitions using thermooptical studies in ∼5-nm-thick epitaxial Pb0.5Sr0.5TiO3 films grown on different insulating substrates. By comparing theoretical modeling and experimental observations, we show that ferroelectricity is stabilized through redistribution of charge carriers (electrons or holes) inside ultrathin films. The related high-density of screening carriers is confined within a few-nanometers-thick layer in the vicinity of the insulator, thus resembling a two-dimensional carrier gas.

Hormone-dependent, CARM1-directed, arginine-specific methylation of histone H3 on a steroid-regulated promoter.

Activation of gene transcription involves chromatin remodeling by coactivator proteins that are recruited by DNA-bound transcription factors. Local modification of chromatin structure at specific gene promoters by ATP-dependent processes and by posttranslational modifications of histone N-terminal tails provides access to RNA polymerase II and its accompanying transcription initiation complex. While the roles of lysine acetylation, serine phosphorylation, and lysine methylation of histones in chromatin remodeling are beginning to emerge, low levels of arginine methylation of histones have only recently been documented, and its physiological role is unknown. The coactivator CARM1 methylates histone H3 at Arg17 and Arg26 in vitro and cooperates synergistically with p160-type coactivators (e.g., GRIP1, SRC-1, ACTR) and coactivators with histone acetyltransferase activity (e.g., p300, CBP) to enhance gene activation by steroid and nuclear hormone receptors (NR) in transient transfection assays. In the current study, CARM1 cooperated with GRIP1 to enhance steroid hormone-dependent activation of stably integrated mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoters, and this coactivator function required the methyltransferase activity of CARM1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and immunofluorescence studies indicated that CARM1 and the CARM1-methylated form of histone H3 specifically associated with a large tandem array of MMTV promoters in a hormone-dependent manner. Thus, arginine-specific histone methylation by CARM1 is an important part of the transcriptional activation process.