Thermal lensing and small signal gain measurements in a pulsed blue diode pumped Ti:sapphire amplifier at room temperature.

Ultra short pulse Ti:sapphire lasers, crucial for most demanding applications, have traditionally been complex and costly due to their pump sources. GaN-based laser diodes offer new prospects for pumping, yet challenges persist in achieving sufficient Ti:sapphire output power and beam quality. We introduce what we believe to be a novel approach using pulsed blue laser diode pumping of a Ti:sapphire amplifier.

Combined treatment strategies for microtubule stabilizing agent-resistant tumors.

Background: Resistance to microtubule-stabilizing agents is a major hurdle for successful cancer therapy. We investigated combined treatment of microtubule-stabilizing agents (MSAs) with inhibitors of angiogenesis to overcome MSA resistance.

Methods: Treatment regimens of clinically relevant MSAs (patupilone and paclitaxel) and antiangiogenic agents (everolimus and bevacizumab) were investigated in genetically defined MSA-resistant lung (A549EpoB40) and colon adenocarcinoma (SW480) tumor xenografts in nude mice (CD1-Foxn1, ICRnu; 5-14 per group).

Dynamics of tumor hypoxia in response to patupilone and ionizing radiation.

Tumor hypoxia is one of the most important parameters that determines treatment sensitivity and is mainly due to insufficient tumor angiogenesis. However, the local oxygen concentration in a tumor can also be shifted in response to different treatment modalities such as cytotoxic agents or ionizing radiation. Thus, combined treatment modalities including microtubule stabilizing agents could create an additional challenge for an effective treatment response due to treatment-induced shifts in tumor oxygenation.