Double tungstate lasers: From bulk toward on-chip integrated waveguide devices

It has been recognized that the monoclinic double tungstates $KY{(WO_4)}_2$, $KGd{(WO_4)}_2$, and $KLu{(WO_4)}_2$ possess a high potential as rare-earth-ion-doped solid-state laser materials, partly due to the high absorption and emission cross sections of rare-earth ions when doped into these materials. Besides, their high refractive indexes make these materials potentially suitable for applications that require optical gain and high power in integrated optics, with rather high integration density. We review the recent advances in the field of bulk lasers in these materials and present our work toward the demonstration of waveguide lasers and their integration with other optical structures on a chip

The biology of depression in cancer and the relationship between depression and cancer progression

The prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with cancer exceeds that observed in the general population and depression is associated with a poorer prognosis in cancer patients. The increased prevalence is not solely explained by the psychosocial stress associated with the diagnosis. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, which induce sickness behaviour with symptoms overlapping those of clinical depression, are validated biomarkers of increased inflammation in patients with cancer. A growing literature reveals that chronic inflammatory processes associated with stress may also underlie depression symptoms in general, and in patients with cancer in particular. Therapeutic modalities, which are frequently poorly tolerated, are used in the treatment of cancer. These interventions are associated with inflammatory reactions, which may help to explain their toxicity. There is evidence that antidepressants can effectively treat symptoms of depression in cancer patients though the database is meager. Novel agents with anti-inflammatory properties may be effective alternatives for patients with treatment-resistant depression who exhibit evidence of increased inflammation