A retrospective cohort study of the economic burden of Pompe disease in patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy in the United States.

Objective: To describe the economic burden of Pompe Disease in patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in the US.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study (1 January 2012-30 September 2022) was conducted using the Merative™ MarketScan Research Databases. Patients with ≥2 outpatient or ≥1 inpatient claims of Pompe disease, ≥1 claim of ERT, and continuous enrollment in medical/prescription coverage for ≥90 days prior to diagnosis date for patients ≥2 years and ≥1-month post-index were included.

Polypyrrole-engineered nickel-based composite electrodes for thermocells with enhanced power output and stability.

This study develops efficient, durable, and low-cost polypyrrole-nickel composite electrodes for thermocells electrodeposition. The proposed electrode design improves wettability, enhances electrochemical activity, and reduces corrosion, achieving enhanced output power compared to pristine nickel or platinum and facilitating low-grade heat harvesting applications.

Optimized in vivo two-photon imaging reveals the essential role of the contralateral eye in functional optic nerve regeneration in zebrafish larvae.

Background: The visual pathway, consisting of the eye, optic nerve, and brain, serves as a valuable model for studying neural regeneration. The exceptional regenerative capacity of the zebrafish visual system enables detailed investigation of neural repair mechanisms in vivo. Although the transparency of zebrafish larvae permits real-time imaging of axonal regeneration following transection, previous methodological limitations such as pigment interference and suboptimal imaging protocols have hindered high-resolution analyses of structural recovery and cellular interaction throughout the entire visual pathway after optic nerve injury.

Overexpression of MdTGA1 enhances the adaptability to nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.).

High quality and yield in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) require adequate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrients. To address N and P deficiencies in soil and the excessive application of chemistry fertilizers in production, it is critical to explore regulators for efficient N-P coordinated utilization.

Lightweight wavelet convolutional network for guidewire segmentation.

Accurate guidewire segmentation is crucial for the success of vascular interventional procedures. Existing methods rely on a large number of parameters, making it difficult to balance performance and model size. In addition, the difficulty of collecting dual guidewire data poses constraints on the training of dual guidewire segmentation models, making dual guidewire segmentation a challenging task.

One- and two-dimensional ring array formed by birefringence in tandem with conical refraction: theoretical analysis.

This study proposes a method to create a ring array using birefringence (BR) and conical refraction (CR), where a circularly polarized beam is first divided into 2 sub-beams in BR crystals and then transformed into 2 CR rings in a CR crystal. To validate the method, the propagation of a circularly polarized Gaussian beam in a sequence of two BR YVO crystals and a CR KGW crystal is simulated. The results show a parallelogram spatial structure formed by four sub-beams behind the BR crystals and four CR rings behind the CR crystal.

Equal-intensity beam splitter fabricated by tandem dielectric beam splitters for passive laser speckle reduction.

An equal-intensity beam splitter that utilizes tandem dielectric beam splitters with specific splitting ratios and a high-reflectivity mirror for passive laser speckle reduction is presented. The beam splitter coatings of the dielectric beam splitters were designed using Essential Macleod software simulations; specifically, three laser sub-beams of equal optical intensities were generated. The optical path delay between laser sub-beams destroyed the temporal and spatial coherence of the laser.

SMF-net: semantic-guided multimodal fusion network for precise pancreatic tumor segmentation in medical CT image.

Background: Accurate and automated segmentation of pancreatic tumors from CT images via deep learning is essential for the clinical diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. However, two key challenges persist: (a) complex phenotypic variations in pancreatic morphology cause segmentation models to focus predominantly on healthy tissue over tumors, compromising tumor feature extraction and segmentation accuracy; (b) existing methods often struggle to retain fine-grained local features, leading to performance degradation in pancreas-tumor segmentation.

Methods: To overcome these limitations, we propose SMF-Net (Semantic-Guided Multimodal Fusion Network), a novel multimodal medical image segmentation framework integrating a CNN-Transformer hybrid encoder.

Synergistic cation-anion regulation of active water within inner Helmholtz plane enables ultra-stable aqueous Zn ion batteries.

The issues related to corrosion, dendrite growth, and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of the Zn anode in aqueous environments have significantly obstructed the practical implementation of aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs). Herein, the strategy of synergistically regulating the content of active water molecules located within the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) by anions and cations is used to address the above-mentioned water-related issues of zinc metal anodes via using the 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquid (IL) as an highly effective electrolyte additive. Theoretical computations and empirical outcomes show that the IL indirectly regulates IHP by tailoring solvation structure of Zn via anions and adsorbing cations on the surface of the zinc anode, directly and effectively reducing the content of chemically active HO molecules in IHP and thus significantly inhibiting the adverse reactions related to active HO molecules.

Recent Trends in Enzyme-Based Biosensors for On-Site Screening of Antibiotic Residues.

Antibiotics are used to treat both humans and animals for both preventive and therapeutic purposes. The overreliance on and misuse of antibiotics has given rise to a stealth pandemic, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Globally, they pose a significant threat to human, animal, and environmental health.

The OsAP4-OsCATA/OsCATC Regulatory Module Orchestrates Drought Stress Adaptation in Rice Seedlings Through ROS Scavenging.

Drought stress poses a major constraint on global crop productivity. Although aspartic proteases (APs) are primarily characterized in plant disease resistance, their roles in abiotic stress adaptation remain largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that rice () OsAP4 critically regulates drought stress tolerance at the seedling stage.

[Rapid characterization and identification of non-volatile components in Rhododendron tomentosum by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS method].

This study aimed to characterize and identify the non-volatile components in aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of Rhododendron tomentosum by using sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-built information database. By comparing with reference compounds, analyzing fragment ion information, searching relevant literature, and using a self-built information database, 118 compounds were identified from the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. tomentosum, including 35 flavonoid glycosides, 15 phenolic glycosides, 12 flavonoids, 7 phenolic acids, 7 phenylethanol glycosides, 6 tannins, 6 phospholipids, 5 coumarins, 5 monoterpene glycosides, 6 triterpenes, 3 fatty acids, and 11 other types of compounds.

Deep Learning-Based Precision Cropping of Eye Regions in Strabismus Photographs: Algorithm Development and Validation Study for Workflow Optimization.

Background: Traditional ocular gaze photograph preprocessing, relying on manual cropping and head tilt correction, is time-consuming and inconsistent, limiting artificial intelligence (AI) model development and clinical application.

Objective: This study aimed to address these challenges using an advanced preprocessing algorithm to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and standardization of eye region cropping for clinical workflows and AI data preprocessing.

Methods: This retrospective and prospective cross-sectional study utilized 5832 images from 648 inpatients and outpatients, capturing 3 gaze positions under diverse conditions, including obstructions and varying distances.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine immune response to the addition of osteopathic manipulative treatment with lymphatic pumps: a randomized controlled trial.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has demonstrated immune augmentation in preclinical studies, but direct evidence in humans is lacking. We conducted a randomized controlled trial on the addition of OMT in subjects receiving their first Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) COVID-19 vaccination in 2021. Subjects were randomized to either receive OMT at each vaccination or not.

Effect of dexmedetomidine-assisted esketamine on hemodynamics and stress level in patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia.

Objective: Hysterectomies conducted laparoscopically have risen in recent decades. Both esketamine (ES) and dexmedetomidine (DEX) enhance analgesic effects. We explored the effects of DEX-assisted ES on hemodynamics and stress levels in patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) under general anesthesia (GA).

Multidimensional analysis suggests that ZNF433 is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers.

Background: Zinc finger proteins, particularly members of the Krüppel-associated box zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs), play critical roles in regulating gene expression, cell cycle progression, and epigenetic modifications. Despite the growing body of research on KRAB-ZFPs, the role of ZNF433, a relatively less studied member of this family, remains poorly understood in the context of cancer.

Methods: We conducted multi-dimensional analyses using publicly available databases, including TCGA and GTEx, to evaluate ZNF433's expression patterns, genetic mutations, survival outcomes, immune microenvironment interactions, and diagnostic potential across different cancers.

Consistency and Heterogeneity of Microsatellite Instability (MSI) Status in Paired Biopsy and Surgical Specimens of Colorectal Cancer: A Necessity for MSI Reassessment After Treatment?

Purpose: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a vital biomarker for cancer immunotherapy and prognosis, necessitating precise detection. However, data on MSI status changes following neoadjuvant therapy (NT) and standardized testing in biopsy samples are limited. The study aimed to investigate the concordance of MSI status between paired biopsy and surgical samples, as well as the impact of NT on MSI status using a novel MSI next-generation sequencing (MSI-NGS) detection panel.

The auxin response factor OsARF12 modulates rice leaf angle via affecting shoot gravitropism.

Leaf angle is a pivotal agronomic trait that significantly influences crop architecture and yield. Plant hormones, such as auxin, play a critical role in regulating leaf angle; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we reveal that the auxin response factor gene, OsARF12, which is highly expressed in the leaf lamina joint, negatively regulates rice (Oryza sativa) leaf angle via affecting shoot gravitropism.

The role of the aging process and related factor in promoting progression of resectable pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant neoplasm of the digestive system. The primary objective of this investigation is to elucidate the intricate mechanisms underlying the role of the aging process and the related factor Epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) in PC progression. We established a prognostic model pertinent to the aging process that could be applied in postoperative PC patients.

A three-tier AI solution for equitable glaucoma diagnosis across China's hierarchical healthcare system.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a solution to glaucoma care inequities driven by uneven resource distribution, but its real-world implementation remains limited. Here, we introduce Multi-Glau, an three-tier AI system tailored to China's hierarchical healthcare system to promote health equity in glaucoma care, even in settings with limited equipment. The system comprises three modules: (1) a screening module for primary hospitals that eliminates reliance on imaging; (2) a pre-diagnosis module for handling incomplete data in secondary hospitals, and (3) a definitive diagnosis module for the precise diagnosis of glaucoma severity in tertiary hospitals.

The Auxin Response Factor Negatively Regulates Grain Size and Weight in Rice ( L.) by Activating the Expression of and .

Grain size and grain weight are critical factors influencing crop yield. In rice ( L.), the auxin response factor (OsARF) family proteins, key components of the auxin signaling pathway, function as transcription factors and play essential roles in regulating various plant growth and development processes, including seed development.

A reusable hydrogel biosensor array with electrically responsive hydrogel interfaces for noninvasive locating of perforating arteries.

Achieving accurate locating of perforating arteries (PAs) has great clinical value in various biomedical applications, such as free flap transfer. However, the anatomical variability of these arteries presents a major challenge in PA locating, and existing methods have various disadvantages, limiting their applications. Here, we propose a reusable and flexible hydrogel biosensor array for noninvasive, precise, and efficient PA locating.

Asymmetrical dual-point pumped ceramic Nd:YAG rotary disk laser.

In this study, asymmetrical dual-point pumping was proposed to be used in the rotary disk laser to improve the laser performance by controlling the spatial separation between the two heat deposition rings inside the rotary gain medium. To validate this method, a 1064-nm ceramic Nd:YAG rotary disk laser was investigated by analyzing the effect of the rotation radii of two pumping points and rotation rates on laser performance. Using dual-point pumping at different rotation radii of 9 mm and 6 mm, with respective pump powers of 18.