Double-pass multipass cell compressor for peak power enhancement of µJ level pulses.

Multipass cells (MPCs) have proven to be a robust and versatile solution for spectral broadening and subsequent compression of high average power Yb-based ultrafast lasers with multi-100 fs pulse durations. However, generating high compression ratios and peak power enhancement at low pulse energies (few-µJ) with compact setups remains challenging because of the moderate peak intensity available for broadening. In this regime, bulk solid-state plates are typically required, and their discrete nature in the nonlinear propagation reduces the B-integral tolerable per pass without beam degradation.

Energy scaling of Kerr-lens modelocked Ho:YAG thin-disk oscillators to the microjoule level.

We demonstrate peak power and pulse energy scaling of Kerr-lens modelocking (KLM) Ho:YAG thin-disk lasers (TDLs) emitting at 2.1-µm wavelength. We compare different laser configurations to reach a maximum pulse energy of 1.

Gas- and bulk-based nonlinear pulse compression of 10 mJ and 50 W pulses of an ultrafast thin-disk amplifier.

We present a comparative study on nonlinear pulse compression of 10 mJ pulses from a thin-disk amplifier at 5 kHz in a multipass cell using both gaseous and bulk nonlinear media. First, we demonstrate compressibility from 465 fs to 34 fs in an argon filled multipass cell. We then replace the nonlinear medium by bulk material and operate in vacuum.

Automated Detection of Focal Bone Marrow Lesions From MRI: A Multi-center Feasibility Study in Patients with Monoclonal Plasma Cell Disorders.

Rationale And Objectives: To train and test an AI-based algorithm for automated detection of focal bone marrow lesions (FL) from MRI.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective feasibility study included 444 patients with monoclonal plasma cell disorders. For this feasibility study, only FLs in the left pelvis were included.

Safety and efficacy of combined portal and hepatic vein embolisation in patients with colorectal liver metastases (DRAGON1): a multicentre, single-arm clinical trial.

Background: Major liver resection is often required for complete clearance of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Patients with insufficient future liver remnant (FLR) volume/function are at high risk of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and require FLR hypertrophy-inducing procedures to enable safe resection. The most recent variant of these procedures is combined portal and hepatic vein embolization (PVE/HVE).

Surgical treatment of acetabular fractures: a comparative cohort study comparing orthogonal double plating to suprapectineal quadrilateral surface (QLS) plate osteosynthesis.

Background: Acetabular fractures often require stabilization. Fractures involving the quadrilateral plate (QP) remain challenging due to complex anatomy and minimal bone stock. Treatment options include orthogonal double plate fixation or anatomically preformed suprapectineal quadrilateral surface (QLS) plates.

Time-resolved momentum microscopy with fs-XUV photons at high repetition rates with flexible energy and time resolution.

Time-resolved momentum microscopy is an emerging technique based on photoelectron spectroscopy for characterizing ultrafast electron dynamics and the out-of-equilibrium electronic structure of materials in the entire Brillouin zone with high efficiency. In this article, we introduce a setup for time-resolved momentum microscopy based on an energy-filtered momentum microscope coupled to a custom-made high-harmonic generation photon source driven by a multi-100 kHz commercial Yb-ultrafast laser that delivers fs pulses in the extreme ultraviolet range. The laser setup includes a nonlinear pulse compression stage employing spectral broadening in a Herriott-type bulk-based multi-pass cell.

Multiscale detrended cross-correlation coefficient: estimating coupling in non-stationary neurophysiological signals.

The brain consists of a vastly interconnected network of regions, the connectome. By estimating the statistical interdependence of neurophysiological time series, we can measure the functional connectivity (FC) of this connectome. Pearson's correlation ( ) is a common metric of coupling in FC studies.

Influence of the orientation of constructed blood vessels during the 3D printing on the measurement of the pseudo-oxygen saturation of an artificial blood substitute using conventional oxygen sensors: a test series.

Background: The development of phantoms to reduce animal testing or to validate new instruments or operation techniques is of increasing importance. For this reason, a blood circulation phantom was developed to test a newly designed retractor system with an integrated oxygen sensor. This phantom was used to evaluate the impact of the 3D printed blood vessel on the measurement of the oxygen saturation.

Proposal of a radiation-free screening protocol for early detection of interstitial lung involvement in seropositive and ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with significant cardiovascular and pulmonary morbidity. However, screening for early detection of pulmonary involvement especially interstitial lung disease (ILD) is not established in RA.

Methods: We propose a non-invasive radiation-free approach to screen for interstitial lung involvement (ILI) by means of pulmonary function tests (PFT) and pleuro-pulmonary transthoracic ultrasound (LUS) with additional cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) with ECG, and echocardiography.

Cellular liquid biopsy provides unique chances for disease monitoring, preclinical model generation and therapy adjustment in rare salivary gland cancer patients.

While cell-free liquid biopsy (cfLB) approaches provide simple and inexpensive disease monitoring, cell-based liquid biopsy (cLB) may enable additional molecular genetic assessment of systemic disease heterogeneity and preclinical model development. We investigated 71 blood samples of 62 patients with various advanced cancer types and subjected enriched circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to organoid culture conditions. CTC-derived tumoroid models were characterized by DNA/RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry, as well as functional drug testing.

Revisiting Electronic Topological Transitions in the Silver-Palladium (AgPd) Solid Solution: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation.

Multiple thick film samples of the AgcPd1-c solid solution were prepared using physical vapour deposition over a borosilicate glass substrate. This synthesis technique allows continuous variation in stoichiometry, while the distribution of silver or palladium atoms retains the arrangement into an on-average periodic lattice with smoothly varying unit cell parameters. The alloy concentration and geometry were measured over a set of sample points, respectively, via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and via X-ray diffraction.

Hybrid air-bulk multi-pass cell compressor for high pulse energies with full spatio-temporal characterization.

Multi-pass cell (MPC) compressors have proven to be the method of choice for compression of high average power long-pulse Yb lasers. Yet, generating sub-30 fs pulses at high pulse energy with compact and simple components remains a challenge. This work demonstrates an efficient and cost-effective approach for nonlinear pulse compression at high pulse energy using a hybrid air-bulk MPC.

The Urine Light Chain/eGFR Quotient as a Tool to Rule out Cast Nephropathy in Myeloma-Associated Kidney Failure.

Kidney involvement with resulting kidney failure leads to increased mortality in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Cast nephropathy (CN), in particular, if left untreated, quickly leads to kidney failure requiring dialysis and has a very poor prognosis for the affected patient. The gold standard for diagnosing kidney involvement is a kidney biopsy.

The addition of bortezomib to rituximab, high-dose cytarabine and dexamethasone in relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma-a randomized, open-label phase III trial of the European mantle cell lymphoma network.

The therapy of relapsed or refractory (r/r) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients remains a major clinical challenge to date. We conducted a randomized, open-label, parallel-group phase-III trial hypothesizing superior efficacy of rituximab, high-dose cytarabine and dexamethasone with bortezomib (R-HAD + B) versus without (R-HAD) in r/r MCL ineligible for or relapsed after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TTF), secondary endpoints included response rates, progression free survival, overall survival, and safety.

GHz repetition rate, sub-100-fs Ho:CALGO laser at 2.1 µm with watt-level average power.

We report on a GHz fundamental repetition rate Kerr-lens mode-locked Ho:CALGO laser emitting at 2.1 µm. The laser employs a ring cavity to increase the fundamental repetition rate to 1.

Rituximab, gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in relapsed or refractory indolent and mantle cell lymphoma: results of a multicenter phase I/II-study of the German Low Grade Lymphoma Study Group.

Rituximab, gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (R-GemOx) has demonstrated to be effective and safe in lymphoma patients. We aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of oxaliplatin in combination with rituximab and gemcitabine and to explore the efficacy and safety of R-GemOx in relapsed or refractory (r/r) indolent and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). In this single-arm, phase I/II trial, we enrolled 55 patients with r/r indolent lymphoma and MCL not suitable for autologous stem-cell transplantation.

Tracking human interactions with a commercially-available robot over multiple days.

As research examining human-robot interaction moves from the laboratory to the real world, studies seeking to examine how people interact with robots face the question of which robotic platform to employ to collect data . To facilitate the study of a broad range of individuals, from children to clinical populations, across diverse environments, from homes to schools, a robust, reproducible, low-cost and easy-to-use robotic platform is needed. We describe how a commercially available off-the-shelf robot, Cozmo, can be used to study embodied human-robot interactions in a wide variety of settings, including the user's home.

Development of an individual helmet orthosis for infants based on a 3D scan.

An early childhood skull deformity can have long-term health and aesthetic consequences for the growing toddler. Individual helmet therapy aims at a healthy growth of the skull shape, although not every helmet shape guarantees an optimal result. To ensure an optimal fit, a scanning procedure based on a hand-held surface scanner was evaluated.

Ex vivo expansion of lung cancer-derived disseminated cancer cells from lymph nodes identifies cells associated with metastatic progression.

The cellular basis of the apparent aggressiveness in lung cancer is poorly understood but likely associated with functional or molecular features of disseminated cancer cells (DCCs). DCCs from epithelial cancers are mostly detected by antibodies directed against histogenetic markers such as cytokeratin or EpCAM. It has been argued that marker-negative metastatic founder cells might escape detection.

A force-compensated compliant MEMS-amplifier with electrostatic anti-springs.

In this paper, an electrostatic compliant mechanical amplifier intended for force-compensated displacement amplification in MEMS sensor applications is described. Usually, mechanical transformers that enhance a small input displacement into a large output displacement generate large forces at the input of the transformer. The microsystem proposed here allows for the reduction and compensation of the input stiffness of the amplifier and any mechanical components connected to it while providing a constant amplification ratio at the same time.