Recent perspectives of ependymomas (childhood brain tumors).

Ependymomas are childhood brain tumors that occur throughout the central nervous system, but are most common in the hindbrain, also known as the posterior fossa (PF). Current standard therapy comprises maximal safe surgery, and there is no scope for further increase in survival. Despite the histological similarity, ependymomas from throughout the neuroaxis likely comprise multiple independent entities, each with a distinct molecular pathogenesis. The present review article would discuss both genetics and epigenetics of ependymomas.

1079.5- and 1341.4-nm: larger energy from a dual-wavelength Nd:YAIO(3) pulsed laser.

On the basis of oscillation conditions of simultaneous multiple-wavelength lasing that we have established, a larger-energy (1079.5 and 1341.4 nm) dual-wavelength Nd:YAlO(3) pulsed laser has been developed. Output energies of 3.71 and 1.39 J with efficiencies of 1.29% and 0.48% for the 1341.4-and 1079.5-nm wavelengths, respectively, have been achieved. To our knowledge, this is the best result among simultaneous dual-wavelength solid-state lasers to date. The temporal and spatial distributions of these beams obtained from a free-running dual-wavelength Nd:YAlO3 pulsed laser have also been measured. Experimental results show that the temporal and spatial overlap of the two beams is quite good for this type of laser.

Measurement of refractive indices and thermal refractive-index coefficients of LiNbO(3) crystal doped with 5 mol. % MgO.

The principal refractive indices and the thermal coefficients for a LiNbO(3) crystal doped with 5 mol. % MgO have been measured by a minimum-deviation method for the wavelengths of 0.53975, 0.6328, 1.0795, and 1.3414, microm in the temperature range 20-154.5 degrees C. The constants of modified Sellmeier equations are all given in the described temperature range. The measured results were used to calculate the type I critical phase-matching angles for 1.0795- and 1.3414-microm second-harmonic generation at room temperature and the noncritical phase-matching temperature for 1.0795-microm second-harmonic generation for LiNbO(3) crystal doped with 5 mol. % MgO. The values obtained agree well with the experimental results.