Femtosecond laser fabricated semi-tapered waveguide for Q-switched vortex laser generation.

Dielectric waveguides are widely recognized as excellent and versatile components for integrated multifunctional photonic chips, thanks to their strong optical confinement capabilities. In this study, we present a novel semi-tapered depressed-cladding waveguide structure, designed and fabricated using femtosecond laser direct writing technology. The optical guiding performance of this semi-tapered waveguide is systematically analyzed by characterizing its loss characteristics.

Effects of Exergaming on Morphological Variables, Biochemical Parameters, and Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents with Overweight/Obesity: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objectives: This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the available body of published peer-reviewed studies on the effects of exergaming (EXG) compared to the control group (CG) on morphological variables, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted until September 2024 using five databases: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, and Web of Science. PRISMA, TESTEX, RoB 2, and GRADE tools assessed the methodological quality and certainty of evidence.

Management of Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Degeneration With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI in SAVR): Experience in Nicaragua.

Severe aortic valve stenosis poses a significant risk for the aging population, often escalating from mild symptoms to life-threatening heart failure and sudden death. Without timely intervention, this condition can lead to disastrous outcomes. The advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has gained popularity, emerging as an effective alternative for managing severe aortic stenosis (AS) in high-risk patients experiencing deterioration of previously implanted bioprosthetic surgical aortic valves (SAV), which introduces complex challenges such as device compatibility and anatomical considerations.

A comparative evaluation of CRISPR-Cas9 allele editing systems in : challenging research in a challenging bug.

is an emergent fungal pathogen of significant interest for molecular research because of its unique nosocomial persistence, high stress tolerance and common multidrug resistance. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of these or other phenotypes, a handful of CRISPR-Cas9 based allele editing tools have been optimized for . Nonetheless, allele editing in this species remains a significant challenge and different systems have different advantages and disadvantages.

Luminal flow in the connecting tubule induces afferent arteriole vasodilation.

Background: Renal autoregulatory mechanisms modulate renal blood flow. Connecting tubule glomerular feedback (CNTGF) is a vasodilator mechanism in the connecting tubule (CNT), triggered paracrinally when high sodium levels are detected via the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). The primary activation factor of CNTGF-whether NaCl concentration, independent luminal flow, or the combined total sodium delivery-is still unclear.