SESAM Mode-Locked Yb:Ca3Gd2(BO3)4 Femtosecond Laser

We report on the first passively mode-locked femtosecond-laser operation of a disordered Yb:Ca3Gd2(BO3)4 crystal using a SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM). Pumping with a single-transverse mode fiber-coupled laser diode at 976 nm, nearly Fourier-transform-limited pulses as short as 96 fs are generated at 1045 nm with an average output power of 205 mW and a pulse repetition rate of ~67.3 MHz. In the continuous-wave regime, high slope efficiency up to 59.2% and low laser thresholds down to 25 mW are obtained. Continuous wavelength tuning between 1006–1074 nm (a tuning range of 68 nm) is demonstrated. Yb:Ca3Gd2(BO3)4 crystals are promising for the development of ultrafast lasers at ~1 μm.

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced and Intravoxel Incoherent Motion MRI Biomarkers Are Correlated to Survival Outcome in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: This study assessed dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI and intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM DWI) parameters to prospectively predict survival outcomes in participants with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received lenalidomide, a dual antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory agent, as second-line therapy in a Phase II clinical trial. Materials and methods: Forty-four participants with advanced HCC who had progression after sorafenib as first-line treatment were prospectively enrolled. Pretreatment MRI parameters—obtained from DCE-MRI (peak, slope, AUC, Ktrans, Kep, and Ve), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and IVIM DWI (pure diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f))—were derived from the largest hepatic tumor. The Cox model was used to investigate the associations of the parameters with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Median PFS and OS were 2.3 and 8.0 months, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that participants with a high slope (p = 0.024), Kep (p < 0.001), and ADC (p = 0.018) values had longer PFS than those with low values; participants with a small tumor size (p = 0.006), high slope (p = 0.01), ADC (p = 0.015), and f (p = 0.012) values had longer OS than those with low values did. Cox multivariable analysis revealed that Kep (p < 0.001) and ADC (p = 0.009) remained independent predictors of PFS; slope (p = 0.003) and ADC (p = 0.009) remained independent predictors of OS. Moreover, Kep and slope were still significant after Bonferroni correction was performed (p < 0.005). Conclusion: Both pretreatment DCE-MRI and IVIM DWI parameters, especially slope and ADC, may predict PFS and OS in participants with HCC receiving lenalidomide as second-line therapy.

Trajectory Analysis and Risk Evaluation of Dangerous Rock Mass Instability of an Overhang Slope, Southwest of China

Analysis of the movement trajectory and risk assessment of the high-slope dangerous rock mass collapse are of great significance for preventing and controlling the geological disasters of collapse. This study firstly takes the dangerous rock mass of the high slope in Pu’erdu Town, Yanjin County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, as the research object, calculates and analyzes the trajectory of collapse movement of several groups of dangerous rock mass with great threat, and RocFall are used to carry out numerical simulation analysis and verification. Secondly, the risk and vulnerability of the dangerous rock mass in the study area are analyzed, and the risk evaluation is carried out through the risk evaluation matrix to clearly define the risk level. Results show that if the dangerous rock mass collapses, the horizontal movement distance was approximately 53–88 m, and the maximum bounce height of the platform was approximately 3–18 m, which will seriously threaten the life and property safety of residents. There is little difference between the simulation of the collapse of dangerous rock mass by RocFall software and the calculation result of the formula. Although RocFall software is more intuitive and can be directly compared with charts, software cannot completely simulate the actual situation, and it is only suggested as a reference from design rather than a basis of design. The result of risk evaluation shows that there are 2 high-risk dangerous rocks, 3 medium-risk dangerous rocks, and 1 low-risk dangerous rock in this area. It is suggested that a reasonable and scientific engineering treatment scheme should be put forward as soon as possible in combination with the collapse trajectory of the collapsing movement.