Spectral broadening of µJ-level pulses around 8 µm in a Germanium-based multi-pass scheme.

A 2.6-fold spectral broadening of mid-infrared femtosecond µJ-level pulses has been achieved using an unfolded multi-pass configuration of germanium plates and zinc selenide lenses. This method maintains a throughput higher than 60% while preserving the spatial quality and the temporal duration of the input beam.

Neonatal systemic gene therapy restores cardiorespiratory function in a rat model of Pompe disease.

Absence of functional acid-α-glucosidase (GAA) leads to early-onset Pompe disease with cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular failure. A novel Pompe rat model ( ) was used to test the hypothesis that neonatal gene therapy with adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) restores cardiorespiratory neuromuscular function across the lifespan. Temporal vein administration of AAV9-DES-GAA or sham (saline) injection was done on post-natal day 1; rats were studied at 6-12 months old.

Emerging therapies in hereditary ataxias.

Recent investigations have defined the pathophysiological basis of many hereditary ataxias (HAs), including loss-of-function as well as gain-of-function mechanisms at either the RNA or protein level. Preclinical studies have assessed gene editing, gene and protein replacement, gene enhancement, and gene knockdown strategies. Methodologies include viral vector delivery of genes, oligonucleotide therapies, cell-penetrating peptides, synthetic transcription factors, and technologies to deliver therapies to defined targets.

A discontinuous Galerkin method for the three-dimensional heterodimer model with application to prion-like proteins' dynamics.

Neurocognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, have a wide social impact. These proteinopathies involve misfolded proteins accumulating into neurotoxic aggregates. Mathematical and computational models describing the prion-like dynamics offer an analytical basis to study the diseases' evolution and a computational framework for exploring potential therapies.