A telerehabilitation program to improve visual perception in children and adolescents with hemianopia consecutive to a brain tumor: a single-arm feasibility and proof-of-concept trial.

Background: Brain tumor in children can induce hemianopia, a loss of conscious vision, profoundly impacting their development and quality of life, yet no effective intervention exists for this pediatric population. This study aimed to explore the feasibility, safety, and potential effectiveness of a home-based audiovisual stimulation in immersive virtual-reality (3D-MOT-IVR) to improve visual function and functional vision.

Methods: In a phase 2a, open-labeled, nonrandomized, single-arm study, conducted from July 2022 to October 2023 (NCT05065268), 10 children and adolescents with stable hemianopia were enrolled to perform 20-min sessions of 3D-MOT-IVR every other day for six weeks from home.

Electro-optic frequency comb generation via cascaded modulators driven at lower frequency harmonics.

Electro-optical modulation of a continuous wave laser is a highly stable way to generate frequency combs, gaining popularity in telecommunication and spectroscopic applications. These combs are generated by modulating non-linear electro-optic crystals with radio frequencies, creating equally spaced side-bands centered around the single-frequency seed laser. Electro-optic frequency comb architectures often choose between optical bandwidth (cascaded GHz combs) or higher mode density (chirped RF generation).

Ultrafast structured light through nonlinear frequency generation in an optical enhancement cavity.

The generation of shaped laser beams, or structured light, is of interest in a wide range of fields, from microscopy to fundamental physics. There are several ways to make shaped beams, most commonly using spatial light modulators comprised of pixels of liquid crystals. These methods have limitations on the wavelength, pulse duration, and average power that can be used.

Personalized Amoxicillin Therapy in a Critically Ill Patient Undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy: A Grand Round.

Background: The case study discusses a complex scenario involving the use of amoxicillin in a critically ill patient undergoing intermittent renal replacement therapy.Severe infections are complicated by septic shock and organ failure, requiring urgent and effective antibiotic treatment.

Methods: The patient's comorbidities, including obesity and acute kidney injury, required careful consideration of the amoxicillin dosing strategies.

Spectral shaping of an ultrafast ytterbium fiber laser via a passive intracavity optical filter: a simple and reliable route to sub-45 fs pulses.

We investigate the use of passive intracavity optical filters for controlling the laser output spectrum of a polarization-mode-locked, ultrafast ytterbium fiber laser. The overall lasing bandwidth is increased or extended by strategic choice of the filter cutoff frequency. Overall laser performance, including pulse compression and intensity noise, is investigated for both shortpass and longpass filters with a range of cutoff frequencies.

Innovative vision rehabilitation method for hemianopsia: Comparing pre- and post audio-luminous biofeedback training for ocular motility improving visual functions and quality of life.

Background: Homonymous hemianopsia (HH) corresponds to vision loss in one hemi-field secondary to retro-chiasmal injury. Patients with HH experience difficulties in scanning and orientation in their environment. Near vision daily activities such as reading can also be impaired.

High-resolution CH stretch spectroscopy of jet-cooled cyclopentyl radical: First insights into equilibrium structure, out-of-plane puckering, and IVR dynamics.

First, high-resolution sub-Doppler infrared spectroscopic results for cyclopentyl radical (CH) are reported on the α-CH stretch fundamental with suppression of spectral congestion achieved by adiabatic cooling to T ≈ 19(4) K in a slit jet expansion. Surprisingly, cyclopentyl radical exhibits a rotationally assignable infrared spectrum, despite 3N - 6 = 36 vibrational modes and an upper vibrational state density (ρ ≈ 40-90 #/cm) in the critical regime (ρ ≈ 100 #/cm) necessary for onset of intramolecular vibrational relaxation (IVR) dynamics. Such high-resolution data for cyclopentyl radical permit detailed fits to a rigid-rotor asymmetric top Hamiltonian, initial structural information for ground and vibrationally excited states, and opportunities for detailed comparison with theoretical predictions.

Glial contribution to cyclodextrin-mediated reversal of cholesterol accumulation in murine NPC1-deficient neurons in vivo.

Niemann-Pick type C disease is a rare and fatal lysosomal storage disorder presenting severe neurovisceral symptoms. Disease-causing mutations in genes encoding either NPC1 or NPC2 protein provoke accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids in specific structures of the endosomal-lysosomal system and degeneration of specific cells, notably neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (CD) emerged as potential therapeutic approach based on animal studies and clinical data, but the mechanism of action in neurons has remained unclear.

Case Report: Visual Rehabilitation in Hemianopia Patients. Home-Based Visual Rehabilitation in Patients With Hemianopia Consecutive to Brain Tumor Treatment: Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness.

Visual field loss is frequent in patients with brain tumors, worsening their daily life and exacerbating the burden of disease, and no supportive care strategies exist. In this case series, we sought to characterize the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a home-based visual rehabilitation program in hemianopia patients using immersive virtual-reality stimulation. Two patients, one with homonymous hemianopia and the other with bitemporal hemianopia, consecutive to pediatric brain tumors, with no prior visual rehabilitation performed 15 min of home-based audiovisual stimulation every 2 days for 6 weeks (case 2) and 7 weeks (case 1) between February and August 2020.

An Audiovisual 3D-Immersive Stimulation Program in Hemianopia Using a Connected Device.

BACKGROUND Homonymous hemianopia is a loss of conscious vision in one hemifield, strongly affecting everyday life. Audiovisual stimulation programs improve visual perception in the blind hemifield; however, they use large equipment operated in clinical settings. Such treatments require frequent visits at the clinic, hampering the patient's adherence and compliance.

New insights on the modeling of the molecular mechanisms underlying neural maps alignment in the midbrain.

We previously identified and modeled a principle of visual map alignment in the midbrain involving the mapping of the retinal projections and concurrent transposition of retinal guidance cues into the superior colliculus providing positional information for the organization of cortical V1 projections onto the retinal map (Savier et al., 2017). This principle relies on mechanisms involving Epha/Efna signaling, correlated neuronal activity and axon competition.

The GTPase Arl8B Plays a Principle Role in the Positioning of Interstitial Axon Branches by Spatially Controlling Autophagosome and Lysosome Location.

Interstitial axon branching is an essential step during the establishment of neuronal connectivity. However, the exact mechanisms on how the number and position of branches are determined are still not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role of Arl8B, an adaptor molecule between lysosomes and kinesins.

Extracellular phosphorylation drives the formation of neuronal circuitry.

Until recently, the existence of extracellular kinase activity was questioned. Many proteins of the central nervous system are targeted, but it remains unknown whether, or how, extracellular phosphorylation influences brain development. Here we show that the tyrosine kinase vertebrate lonesome kinase (VLK), which is secreted by projecting retinal ganglion cells, phosphorylates the extracellular protein repulsive guidance molecule b (RGMb) in a dorsal-ventral descending gradient.

Synthesis of Advanced Mesoporous Materials by Partial Pseudomorphic Transformation.

The structure of porous silica particles can be reorganized without alteration of the particle size and shape by the process of pseudomorphic transformation. Partial pseudomorphic transformation leads to ordered mesoporous silica with bimodal pore size distributions and bottleneck pores. Compared to the classical pathways of mesoporous silica synthesis, pseudomorphic transformation implies less compromise between pore structure and particle shape, while enabling the preparation of complex pore architectures.

A molecular mechanism for the topographic alignment of convergent neural maps.

Sensory processing requires proper alignment of neural maps throughout the brain. In the superficial layers of the superior colliculus of the midbrain, converging projections from retinal ganglion cells and neurons in visual cortex must be aligned to form a visuotopic map, but the basic mechanisms mediating this alignment remain elusive. In a new mouse model, ectopic expression of ephrin-A3 () in a subset of retinal ganglion cells, quantitatively altering the retinal EFNAs gradient, disrupts cortico-collicular map alignment onto the retino-collicular map, creating a visuotopic mismatch.

High-power ultrafast Yb:fiber laser frequency combs using commercially available components and basic fiber tools.

We present a detailed description of the design, construction, and performance of high-power ultrafast Yb:fiber laser frequency combs in operation in our laboratory. We discuss two such laser systems: an 87 MHz, 9 W, 85 fs laser operating at 1060 nm and an 87 MHz, 80 W, 155 fs laser operating at 1035 nm. Both are constructed using low-cost, commercially available components, and can be assembled using only basic tools for cleaving and splicing single-mode fibers.

Pharmacokinetic interaction of riociguat with ketoconazole, clarithromycin, and midazolam.

Riociguat is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension that is principally metabolized via the cytochrome P450 (CYP) pathway. Three studies in healthy males investigated potential pharmacokinetic interactions between riociguat and CYP inhibitors (ketoconazole, clarithromycin, and midazolam). In two studies, subjects were pretreated with either once-daily ketoconazole 400 mg or twice-daily clarithromycin 500 mg for 4 days before cotreatment with either riociguat 0.

Riociguat (BAY 63-2521) and aspirin: a randomized, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic interaction study.

In preclinical studies, drugs that increase cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels have been shown to influence platelet function/aggregation; however, the effect of riociguat on human platelets is unclear. Aspirin, a platelet inhibitor, is likely to be given concomitantly in patients receiving riociguat. It is therefore important to establish clinically whether (1) riociguat affects platelet function and (2) aspirin and riociguat interact.

Absorption of riociguat (BAY 63-2521): bioavailability, food effects, and dose proportionality.

Riociguat (BAY 63-2521) is the first member of a novel class of compounds, the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulators. Riociguat has a dual mode of action: it sensitizes sGC to endogenous nitric oxide (NO) and stimulates sGC independent of NO availability. To characterize the biopharmaceutical properties of riociguat, including absolute bioavailability, food interactions, and dose proportionality, riociguat (intravenous/oral) was administered to healthy male subjects in 3 open-label, randomized, crossover studies: absolute bioavailability (1 mg; [Formula: see text]), food effect (2.

Estimating the location and size of retinal injections from orthogonal images of an intact retina.

Background: To study the mapping from the retina to the brain, typically a small region of the retina is injected with a dye, which then propagates to the retina's target structures. To determine the location of the injection, usually the retina is dissected out of the eye, flattened and then imaged, causing tears and stretching of the retina. The location of the injection is then estimated from the image of the flattened retina.

Bimodal mesoporous silica with bottleneck pores.

Bimodal mesoporous silica consisting of two sets of well-defined mesopores is synthesized by a partial pseudomorphic transformation of an ordered mesoporous starting material (SBA-15 type). The introduction of a second set of smaller mesopores (MCM-41 type) establishes a pore system with bottlenecks that restricts the access to the core of the bimodal mesoporous silica particles. The particle size and shape of the starting material are retained, but micropores present in the starting material disappear during the transformation, leading to a true bimodal mesoporous product.

Incorporation of a FRET dye pair into mesoporous materials: a comparison of fluorescence spectra, FRET activity and dye accessibility.

Fluorescein and rhodamine B modified mesoporous silica particles were synthesized by post-grafting and co-condensation approaches. The materials exhibited different pore size distributions, particle shapes and sizes. The materials were characterized by nitrogen sorption, scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy.